Adverse factors affecting growth of schoolchildren in St. Helena.
More than 1000 schoolchildren on St. Helena were studied to determine factors associated with suboptimal growth. Disease was demonstrable in only a small minority, but social factors were of prime importance. In particular, family size was found to be a dominant factor, over-riding the associated effect from overcrowding. The implications of this findings are discussed, and the concept of a "threshold of coping" developed. It is suggested that failure to achieve optimal growth may be a particularly useful index of the points of stress in the child-rearing patterns of society.
D000293:Adolescent; D001266:Atlantic Islands; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002654:Child Care; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008426:Maternal Deprivation; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors