Infant weight‐for‐length is positively associated with subsequent linear growth across four different populations

Abstract

Several studies have documented that length gain often lags behind weight gain during infancy and early childhood, suggesting that linear growth is partly regulated by initial body mass or fatness. To investigate this hypothesis, we analysed data from four longitudinal studies on growth of infants in the first 12 months: (1) U.S. breast-fed and formula-fed infants (n = 89); (2) breast-fed infants in Ghana (n = 190); (3) normal birthweight, breast-fed infants in Honduras (n = 108); and (4) term, low-birthweight breast-fed infants in Honduras (n = 119). The dependent variable was length gain during each 3-month interval (1- 4, 2-5, 3-6, 4-7, 5-8, 6-9, 7-10, 8-11 and 9-12 months). Three main independent variables were examined: initial weight-for-length z-score (W/L), weight change during the prior 3 months, and initial skinfold thickness. Controlling for maternal height, infant sex, and initial length-for-age z-score, length gain was positively correlated with initial W/L and prior weight change during all age intervals and with initial skinfold thickness at 3 and 4 months (r = 0.15-0.36; P < 0.01). There was no evidence of a threshold effect. These associations were evident in all four populations, in both boys and girls, and in breast-fed and formula-fed infants. The consistency of this relationship across studies supports the hypothesis that linear growth is partly regulated by initial body mass or fatness in infants.

Effects of Community‐based Follow‐up Care in Managing Severely Underweight Children

“…Children in the present study who were wasted at the start of treatment had less linear growth than those who were not wasted. This observation is consistent with a previous report, which found positive relation between weight-for-height and linear growth in 4 longitudinal growth studies of young children (29). Whereas exposure to PS also increased the frequency of follow-up visits, this had no further additive effect of the children's growth during this 3-month period.…”

Ecological Differences in Weight, Length, and Weight for Length of Mexican American Children in the WIC Program

“…This may reflect their low-income status because height is associated with better nutrition in a population. Only the overweight group achieved the mean 50th percentile in height, but as increased height is associated with increased weight, this is expected (Dewey et al, 2005). The finding of more reported allergies among the normal group is statistically significant, but its clinical significance is unknown.…”

Failure of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Enzyme Immunoassay to Rule Out Infection Among Polymerase Chain Reaction-Negative Vietnamese Infants at 12 Months of Age

“…Height is preserved relative to weight during periods of malnutrition, and takes longer to recover 12, 13. Higher height-for-age Z scores may indicate stable growth and development over time, but the connection to HIV antibody titers is unclear.…”