Undernutrition and adolescent growth among rural Indian boys.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate impact of undernutrition on various adolescent growth parameters among rural Indian boys. DESIGN: Adolescent boys covering 8-18 yr age group were observed longitudinally for a period of 3 years. SETTING: Adolescent boys (n=673) from seven different villages within 30 to 40 km from Pune were studied. METHOD: Six monthly measurements on weight (upto 50 g) and height (upto 0.1 cm) were recorded and age assessment was done from school records with reasonable accuracy. RESULTS: Stunted and underweight boys were lighter (by 4 kg) and shorter (by 8 cm) at 10 yr age compared to their normal counterparts but this difference increased to 12 kg and 10 cm respectively by adulthood. Undernourished boys however, revealed significant height gains at later ages especially beyond 14+ yr, compared to normals suggesting slow, gradual but continual growth. Undernutrition delayed age at take-off and age at PHV by about 2 yr, and lowered attained height at PHV (by 5 cm) and adult height (by 7 cm). CONCLUSION: Normal and maluourished children from the same rural community show wide differences in their adolescent growth performance. Nutritional deprivation thus seems to affect almost all growth parameters and final adult size too.