الفهرس 
Feeding and weaning patterns;
Growth determinants o in antsOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
The present study is a prospectiv lon gitudinal studies for a cohort of pregnant
mothers and their infants in the first year of life.
Growth in the studied cohort was assessed by
-.rrea:n5 u+-s aftttH- --i-<; -liUrementS- .L .weight;. length; head, chest and
arm circumference and triceps skinfold thickness. These parameters were measured at birth and
then at monthly interval throughout the first year of life.
The studied cohort was weighted in favor of males (53.6%) over females (46.4%l at birth
and throughout the first year rill the age of 12 months (males: 60.3% and females 39.7%>.
The pattern of growth of infants in the study have a similar pattern in almost all
measured parameters. The first six months were charac terized by rapid growth. The second
six months were characterized by growth deceleration
The mean birth weight was 3.300 + 0.53 kg. Birth weight was doubled between the fourth
and the f i f t tl - Illa A t:f:u;• - - At: tba ..aq;a .11£ ,12. !ltOfl th5 .t1ut
lllilAR weight was 2.7 times the birth weight. At birth, the weight of 18.17. of infants
were below 90% of the reference weight standard. At the end of the first year, the weight
of 62.87. of infants were below the 907. of the reference weight standard and
25.5% below the 807. of the standard.
In this study, the mean birth length was found to be 50.9 4.0cm. At the end of the first
year, the average length was 143% the birth length. In-
168
fants with length < 907. DT the standard was 1.97. at
····-- ···----··· · -·-···-·- ··· -- -
the age of one year.
The mean head circumference at birth was 34.7
+ 2.6cm The annual growth velocity observed was
15.6 em/year during the Tirst six months and 6.5
em/year during prevalence of
the second half of the year. The
·infants with weight/head circum-
ference below 907. of the standard was 17.27. inTants at the age 12 months
The mean chest circumference at birth was 33.6
+ 2.8 em. and the chest/head ratio 0.96 • The period of’rapid acceleration of chest
circumference growth slowed down at the age of four months to stop at the age of nine
months when deceleration occur. The chest/head ratio at the age of 1 months was one.
The general trend observed in arm circum-
ference growth was the positive increments between birth and 8th month. Zero or negative
increments between 9-11 months. Positive increments at the
12th. month. The mean birth arm circumf.erence was
10.3 1.4 em and 14.0 + 1.2cm. at the age of 1
months •
- ·------
The prevalence of infants with arm circum-
terence below 907. of the standard level at the age of 12 months.
was 29.57
The average triceps skinfold thickoess was
found to be lower than the reference standard birth till the 12th. month
from
The skinfold thickness below 907. of the eK- pected for age was 57.97. at the age·of 12 months.
No positive increments occurred in triceps skinfold
169’-
t:hicklless between 6-12 monttos of age-.•.------ ·
In the studied cohort, weight/age was found to be positively correlated with the other five
growth para.neters.
The mean hemoglobin and hematocrite values at
the age of 6 months were found to be 12.3 + 2.8
-...,g”m’”1’dl and - .4 ’*’ 3resperti vel y. -hiT i nsig- nificant decrease
occur in these values at thu age of 12 months •
The prevalence of anemia in the studied cohort of infant was 34.7% and 39.37. at the 6th. and
12th. months respectively •
The average serum albumin level at the age of six months was found to be 4.9 O.B gm. and
at 12 months age 4.6 1.0 gm.. The infaot•s albumin level was found to be positively
correlated with the maternal serum protein and albumin levels.
The gross motor developmental profile was the
only profile used in the analysis. The number of infants who failed to elicit the Denver
Developmen tal Screening Test increased frurrt the 3 rd {16.47.} to the 12lli month of aye
l20.7)• whi 1 e the number
of infant so at··”’t’tlc! best sr ;- ···· ttre·2:1 t h·, ,n:rrcerr t i 1:-e-·
decreased from 7.3% tu be 4.5% at the same age .
This could be explained by the posi iv cor relation found in tl1is study between the
gross motor dev lopment and the growth parameters Clengthrage and head circumferenc
rageJ where r o.2 at he aue of 12 months.
In the studied cohort, breast fed io1fants were
97.1% arod 69.9% at the ages of one Aounth and twelve months respectively. Insufficient milk
was the
170
----’ll.ain.. ca••se ofn..
di n g l:l r east f e d!’=’..a, The avera’i
age for introduction of solid oods was 6.5 + 2.4 months. The patterns of feeding and weaning
in this s.tudy were close to the rural than the urban communities.
Out of the 15 maternal variables studied,
.---..>t.oii - were - .Lgni.:fi.l::.ant..l-¥-- correI atIE!_cLw ij:h _in :f !’...!c§
growth parameters.
These significant variables were : duration of
gestation, maternal weight at term, maternal
postnatal weight/height, maternal height.
maternal
plasma protein, serum albumin and maternal educa-
tion.