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A cross-sectional growth study was undertaken on a sample of 5472 school-children aged between 4 and 17. The sample was representative of the Catalan population. Results on height, weight and age at menarche are presented. Cross-sectional centile curves on height and weight were constructed using non-parametric methods. The height of Catalan children was compared with that of children from the United Kingdom (1965 and 1990), France, Greece and the Basque country (Spain). Until puberty Catalan children were similar in height to English (1990) and Greek children, and taller than children in the other studies mentioned. Only differences in final height compared with the English (1990) population were detected. Parents' place of birth and father's profession are associated with height. 'Probit analysis' revealed that the average age of menarche (12.31 years) was similar to that of other Mediterranean countries and lower than in other parts of Spain and northern European countries. There were differences in age at menarche according to the father's occupation. The secular trend of height of the Catalan child population has increased during the twentieth century, rising more than 2 cm per decade.

InrodutionInfant mortality (IM) has often been used as an indicator of community health level, ' and it has been found to be associated with some socioeconomic and cultural variables.2-10 Moreover, a significant correlation between IM, per capita income (PI), and adult literacy in 92 countries has recently been reported."The objectives of this paper are (1) to study the possible changes in the relationship between IM and PI, comparing data from 1960 and 1982; and (2) In interpreting the results, the possible presence of some biases has to be taken into account. These biases can be due to the countries selected (in this case,

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