For the purpose of assessing physical growth and nutritional status of young rural children aged from 0 to 3 years old, 1,463 young children (Male: 734, Female: 729) registered at Chunseong Gun Community Health Service, Kangwon Province, were examined during the month of August, 1975.
Some findings of the survey were as follows:
A. Anthropometric data
1) Comparing the mean values for body weight obtained with those of the Korean standards of the same age, the rural children showed no difference at infant period, but slightly heavier at toddler period in both sexes.
2) Comparing the mean values for height obtained with those of the Korean standards of the same age, the rural children were taller than Korean standard values of the same age, but smaller than Japanese children in both sexes. ,
3) The regression equations of weight on height were as follows;
Male ; y=0.27x-10.71 (r=0.993, p<0.001)
Female; y=0.25x- 9.49(r=0.995, p<0.001)
4) The regression equations of weight aril height on mother´s age by birth order were slightly different from each other in their regression coefficient, but not statistically significant
B. Various indices about physical growth and development. 1) Relative weight shows the steady increase monthly. Male surpassed female throughout the period observed. 2) Rohrer´s Indices were alike in male and female.
3) Kaup Indices were 1.5-1.8 in male and 1.5-1.6 in female. C. Prevalence of Protein-Calorie Malnutrition
Children examined were divided into two groups,i.e., infant (up to the first birthday) and toddler (1 to 3 years old).
(Percentages for four levels of malnutrition)
The Harvard standard was used as the reference standard in this study.
a) When the nutritional status of each child was classified,
1) by body -weight value; the percentages for male and female of children attained standard growth were 71.0%(infant 85. 0%, toddler 52.4%) and 53.2% (infant 67.9%, toddler 37.2), the first level of malnutrition were 20.7% (infant 11.,5%, toddler 33.0%) ´and´27.4% (infant 21.0%, toddler 34.4%), the second level of malnutrition were 8.2% (infant 3.5%, toddler 14.3%) and 15.8% (infant 9.7%, toddler 22.3%), the third level of malnutrition were 0. 1% (infant 0%, toddler 0.3%) and 3. 6% (infant 1. 3%, toddler 6. 1%) respectively and. the fourth level of malnutrition were not found.
2) by height value; the percentages for male and female of children attained standard growth were 93.6% (infant 99.3%, toddler 86.0%) and 87.7% (infant 98.7%, toddler 75.6%); the first level of malnutrition were 6.3% (infant 0.5%, toddler 14.0%), the second level of malnutrition were 0.1%(infant 0.2%, toddler 0%) and. 0% respectively, the third, fourth level of malnutrition were not found.
3) by body weight in relation to height; the percentages for male and female of children attained standard growth were 60.3% (infant 49.9%, toddler 74. 3%) and 56.5% (infant 50.3%, toddler 63. 3%), the first level of malnutrition were 25.5% (infant 30.1%, toddler 19.4%) and 23.9% (infant 26.3%, toddler 21.2%), the second level of malnutrition were 12. 4% (infant 17.2%, toddler 6.0%) and 17.4 (infant 21.3%, toddler 13.2%), the third level of malnutrition were 1.4% (infant 2,1%, toddler 0.3%) and 1.9% (infant 1, 8%, toddler 2.0%). the fourth level of malnutrition were 0. 4% (infant 0. 7%, toddler 0%) and 0. 3% (infant 0. 3%, toddler 0. 3%) respectively.
b) The nutritional status of each child according to the mother´s age at parturition, was
1) by weight -value, significantly different between each mother´s age group in the infant and toddler period. (P<0.01)
2) by height value, not significantly different between each mother´s age group in
the infant period, but significantly different in the toddler period. (P<0.01)
c) The nutritional status of each child according to the birth rank i.e., first to second,
third to fourth, and fifth or above was, ) by weight value; significantly different between children of each birth order in the infant period (-1<0.01), but not significantly different in the toddler period,
although children of higher birth rank were slightly more of the underweight than those of lower birth rank.
2) by eight value; not different among children of each birth order.
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