A Longitudinal Study in Body Weight of Pakistani Infants as Influenced by Socioeconomic Status

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Abstract
Summary A longitudinal study during first year of life was conducted to evaluate the effect of socioeconomic status on the body weight of Pakistani infants. Weight at birth and gain in weight during first year of life were directly influenced by socioeconomic status. Fiftieth percentile of weight of local infants, belonging to different socioeconomic strata, remained below the twenty-fifth percentile of Harvard standard. However, greater growth retardation was observed in the second six months of the first year. As compared with the standard, females were found to have lesser weight than males. Average birth weight doubling time was recorded as 4-5 months. In developing countries malnutrition affecting the infants and young children is amongst the principal public health problems. Among all the indicators used to assess the child's growth and development, body weight is the most important and sensitive parameter. Variations in weight are rapid and significant, particularly during early childhood and yield a variety of information regarding the child's health and nutrition, especially when repeatedly measured over a period of time.1 In Pakistan no attempt has been made in the past to study the growth and development of infants in a longitudinal fashion. Information on longitudinal studies in literature is also scanty. The study reported here was aimed to evaluate the effects of socioeconomic status (SES) on weights of infants and to suggest local standards in terms of weight for the period of infancy.

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