Weight pattern of Pre-school children in a rural area of Delhi

Abstract

In a cross-sectional study weights of 542 boys and 547 girls of rural area recorded at different times during 0-4 yr of their age was analysed. The mean birth weight was found to be 2.84 kg. It doubled at the age of 4 months, tripled around 1½ yrand quandrupled around 3½ yr. The average weight gain per month during first two months was nearly 800 gm for next two months about 500 gm per month and about 220 gm per month thereafter till the age of one year. The mean weights up to the age of 5 months were on the curve of 80 percent of 50th percentile of Harvard standard (usually considered as the lower limit of normal) but substantially lower after that age. Individually, 61.38 percent of the weights for age were less than this lower limits of normal. On the other hand, 4.72 percent weights for age were higher than even the upper limits of normal measured by the 50th percentile of Harvard standard. After the age of 2 months, male children weighed more than female children by a small but constant margin of about 250 gm on an average. However, at the age of 3½ yr females overtook males. A possible hypothesis explaining this phenomenon is discussed.