The effect of high altitude on the growth of children of high socioeconomic status in Bolivia

Abstract

The physical growth of middle to upper class children of primarily European ancestry attending the private French School in L Paz, Bolivia is described and analyzed to determine how high altitude affects growth in this group of children. The sample consists of 323 children, most between the ages of 8 and 14, who reside at altitudes between 3200 and 3600 meters, but who have spent different amounts of time at high altitude. Comparisons between children who differ in their exposure to high altitude, and comparisons between French School children and other samples of high and low altitude children were used to assess the effect of high altitude on growth. Children who had lived all their lives at high altitude were found to be smaller in terms of general body size than those who had spent the shortest amount of time at high altitude, confirming the results of previous investigations of child growth in the Andes. Most studies of indigenous Andean populations have found that chest dimensions relative to stature increase with altitude, but it is not clear that this same trend exists in Bolivian French School children. Although exposure to high altitude does affect the growth of French School children, their height is essentially the same as that of Guatemalan children of high socioeconomic status. Within the age range studied, the effect of high altitude is small relative to that of other environmental factors and genetic factors, even in these children of high socioeconomic status.

Chest circumference and sitting height among children and adolescents from Lhasa, tibet compared to other high altitude populations

“…Analyzing families, ethnicity, living place and altitudes of four Andean countries during -1998, Larrea (2002 found that the rate of growth retardation among children and adolescents was three times less in the best socioeconomic district than that in the worst socioeconomic district. The important contribution of poor socio-economic conditions to growth retardation at high altitude has been noted by studies in other populations (de Meer et al, 1995;Haas et al, 1982;Greksa 1986Greksa , 2006Stinson, 1982;Tripathy et al, 2007;Weitz et al, 2004).…”

Crecimiento físico en niños de 6 a 12 años de media altura de Arequipa - Perú (3220msnm). Physical growth in children from 6 to 12 years of mediumaltitude of Arequipa - Peru (3220msnm).

“…Dado que las condiciones y estilo de vida son diferentes. Cabe resaltar que esas diferencias pueden deberse a la calidad en las dietas (Weinstein, 2007, Moseley, 2001, e inclusive pueden existir factores semejantes relacionados con los factores genéticos, nutricionales y socioeconómicos (Hoff, 1974, Malina 1974, Stinson, 1982, respectivamente.…”

“…En ese sentido, podemos indicar que el desarrollo del crecimiento depende del bagaje genético, nutricional, nivel socio-económico, dolencias, influencias ambientales, tendencia secular, actividad física (Nahas, et.al, 1992) y el nivel de altitud (Cossio-Bolaños, 2004, Stinson, 1982, Leonard, et.al, 1995, Lawrance, Greksa y Haas, 1982, Pawson, et.al, 2001). …”

Nutritional, developmental, and genetic influences on relative sitting height at high altitude

“…The general growth patterns of these two populations have been previously described (Stinson, 1980(Stinson, , 1982. The rural children are of Aymara ancestry, born and raised in the northern altiplano of Bolivia, with parents who were born and raised in the northern Bolivian altiplano.…”