A scale without anthropometric measurements can be used to identify low weight-for-age in children less than five years old

Risk factors for low Kaup index among children in rural ethnic minority areas of Yunnan, China

BACKGROUND

The general living standard and health level have been greatly improved in China. But the result of a significant change in a child's growth level has not been reported in the Yunnan rural minority area. The aim of this study was to identify the risk factors for low Kaup index in the Dai peoples' autonomous region to construct a better health service system in rural minority areas.

METHODS

A total of 1173 mother-child pairs were selected in 36 villages of the Dai peoples' autonomous region. Sampled mothers were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Sampled children were measured for weight and height.

RESULTS

In total, 36.1% of the candidate group was under weight, 12.0% was wasting, and 30.8% had stunted growth. A child's gender (odds ratio; OR, 1.42; 95% confidence interval; 95% CI, 1.07-1.88), existence of a weaning food (OR, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.26-0.46), grasp of the cause of the child's malnutrition (OR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.16-2.89), positiveness to information on better nutrition (OR, 2.97; 95% CI, 1.07-8.18), coincidence of the child-rearing plan between parents (OR, 3.15; 95% CI, 1.12-4.11), and existence of a doctor who can consult about child-rearing (OR, 3.17; 95% CI, 1.22-8.22) indicated significant relationships to the low value of a child's Kaup index.

CONCLUSION

The mother's child-rearing behavior and social support were identified as risk factors. An offer of effective and abundant information to mothers, and the existence of professionals with whom mothers can consult immediately, were required to construct a better health system in the target area.

Maternal consumption of pulque, a traditional central Mexican alcoholic beverage: relationships to infant growth and development

OBJECTIVES

To document the consumption during pregnancy of pulque, a traditional central Mexican alcoholic beverage, and its relationship to subsequent infant size, physical growth and performance on the Bayley Scales of Infant Development.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Six villages in rural, central Mexico in 1984-1985.

SUBJECTS

Seventy mother-infant pairs.

RESULTS

Most women (72.9%) consumed pulque during pregnancy, and 28.6% consumed more than 150 g ethanol week(-1) from the beverage. Individuals who consumed pulque showed no compensating decrease in energy obtained from other foods. Pulque consumption possessed curvilinear relationships with both infant length (at 1 and 6 months) and Bayley mental performance (at 6 months). Heavy pulque intakes were associated with smaller infant size and poorer mental performance. In modest quantities, pulque consumption may have been beneficial due to its micronutrient content.

CONCLUSIONS

Intakes of alcohol from pulque were common among pregnant women in these rural, central Mexican villages. Given current scientific knowledge of the adverse effects of ethanol on foetal development, public health interventions are needed to reduce heavy pulque consumption during pregnancy in some areas of rural Mexico.