Short stature and overweight in infants of Western Massachusetts

A cross‐sectional study of the nutritional status of 268 urban white, black and Puerto Rican infants, age 1–26 weeks, of three economic levels, was undertaken between November 1972 and March 1974. Subjects were selected at random. Mothers were interviewed and infants measured and weighed by a nutritionist during a single home visit. Crown‐heel length, weight and weight/height ratio of 254 full‐term infants are discussed. Physical characteristics of the children suggest that their diet was limited more in quality than in quantity. Limitations in linear growth and excessive weight gain were particularly noted in many boys under three months of age of all ethnic and socioeconomic groups, when compared to percentile distributions of the Child Research Council. Girls were generally less heavy for their length than boys, but girls from low income families tended to be heavier for their length than those from middle and high income families. Low income black children were longer than low income white and Puerto Rican children at the age of six months.

Key words:

• Infants
• growth
• short stature
• overweight
• sex differences