Nutritional deprivation in childhood and the body size, activity, and physical work capacity of young boys

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Clinical nutritional status and physical work capacity at submaximal level were assessed in 96 rural Hyderabad [India] boys, 14-17 yr of age. Data available on the nutritional status of these children when they were 5 yr of age were used for classifying them into different nutritional grades. Factors responsible for undernutrition in childhood continued to operate on later growth. Height and weight at 5 yr correlated well (P < 0.001) with current height and weight. About 64% (P < 0.001) of the variation in physical work capacity at a heart rate of 170/min (physical work capacity170 kpm[kilopounds .cntdot. m]/min) could be explained by the differences in current body weight; habitual physical activity explained another 10% (P < 0.001) of the variation. Malnutrition in early childhood continuing into adolescence could be considered to have adversely affected their work capacity by influencing their body weight. Even severe undernutrition during childhood had no effect on work performance when expressed in terms of unit weight. For the same work load, undernourished subjects had a significantly higher heart rate at moderate work level than their counterparts.