This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Walker, A.R.P. Articles by Walker, B.F. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Rises in schoolchildren's anthropometry: what do they signify in developed and developing populations?

Human Biochemistry Research Unit Department of Tropical Diseases School of Pathology of the University of the Witwatersrand and the South African Institute for Medical Research Johannesburg, South Africa

B.F. Walker, Dipl, Dom Sci

Human Biochemistry Research Unit Department of Tropical Diseases School of Pathology of the University of the Witwatersrand and the South African Institute for Medical Research Johannesburg, South Africa

Recent reports indicate continuing rises in the height and weight of schoolchildren in both developed and developing populations. Also indicated are increases in the body mass index of children, and of adults, despite all public health warnings to the contrary, as well as personal desires of huge proportions of children, and of adults, to be slim. A little researched question concerns which level of schoolchildren's growth is consistent in later life with least occurrence of degenerative diseases. In developing populations, lack of knowledge prevails regarding the current and future health of the large proportions, and huge numbers, of schoolchildren who, judging from Western anthropometric standards, are categorized as suffering from mild to moderate malnutrition. It is questioned whether greater growth is essentially better. As to the future, in Western and in urban developing populations, attempts to control greater attainment of weight for height in schoolchildren, as well as adults, are unlikely to be rewarding, due to unpopularity of a 'prudent' diet on the one hand, and the still diminishing physical activity on the other. Notwithstanding, educational and other efforts to improve the composition of diets and encourage greater physical activity must be energetically pursued.

Key Words: BMI • growth • height • weight • schoolchildren

The Journal of the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health, Vol. 118, No. 3, 159-164 (1998)
DOI: 10.1177/146642409811800307


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?