Physical Growth of High Altitude Spitian Boys

Abstract

The present study is an effort to explore the effect of high altitude on the physical growth of Spitian children. The present cross sectional study has been conducted on Spitian boys, ranging in age from 5 to 20 years. Anthropometric data was collected on 636 subjects during 1996-1998 from various areas of Spiti valley by PPS. The altitudes of these areas range between 3500 -4200 metres above mean-sea-level. The adolescent spurt in case of Spitian boys occurs at 15-16 years of age in weight and 13-14 years in height whereas the peak adolescent gain in chest circumference is even later and takes place at 17-18 years. It can be concluded from the above results that the adolescent spurt is delayed in Spitian boys. The proportionally greater chest cage size has emerged as the most important morphological characteristic in various studies. This seems to be an adaptation to low partial pressure of oxygen. A very late adolescent spurt in chest circumference might be giving an edge to the high altitude populations to keep on adding to the final adult dimensions by way of extending the growth period.

Physical Growth of Sasak Children at Different Altitudes in Lombok Island

“…Environmental factors include items such as SES, human activities and location of residence. Hypoxic stress in high altitude is one environmental factor that has been shown to delay and modify the pubescent growth spurt in children (Malhotra et al 2006). Altitude is inversely correlated with oxygen content in the air: the higher altitude, the lower the oxygen content.…”

“…For instance, children who live in high altitude environments face numerous stresses, including hypoxia, cold climate, ultraviolet radiation, and rough and difficult terrain. These conditions require greater physical and physiological activity from children, than the conditions in low altitude (Hastuti 2005;Malhotra et al 2006;Singh et al 2007). Several studies show a pattern low birth weight and reduced childhood growth in people living at high altitude (Yip et al 1988;Jensen & Moore 1997;Lestari 2006).…”

Physical growth and body adiposity patterns in children and adolescents at high altitudes in Peru: Proposed percentiles for assessment

“…Therefore, economic activity is a key factor that influences the physical growth process that influences the different growth patterns in each economic region, especially in populations with lower incomes (Hoke, ), such as the children and adolescents in this study. In addition, hypoxic stress caused by altitude is a determining environmental factor that retards and modifies physical growth in children and adolescents (Malhotra, Singh, Singh, & Sidhu, ). Individuals living at sea level are taller than those living at higher altitudes (Santos et al, ).…”

Parameters of pubertal growth spurt in children and adolescents living at high altitude in Peru

“…However, as far as is known, there are few studies that estimate biological parameters by means of mathematical models of children and adolescents living in regions of moderate and high altitude, 13 , 14 , 15 since high altitude areas of the world are characterized by hypobaric hypoxia, low temperatures, low relative humidity, high cosmic radiation and, in some cases, limited nutritional resources. 16 These characteristics cause a delay in linear growth, in addition, they present a prolonged growth period, a late and poorly defined growth spurt in relation to their sea-level peers. 17 …”