[Is there a relationship between parent's short height and their children's? Social interclass epidemiologic study].
BACKGROUND
Stunting is a prevalent problem in developing countries and may affect up to 50% of school age children.


OBJECTIVE
To search for a relationship between the short stature of school age children of opposing socioeconomic levels and that of their parents.


METHODS
One thousand, eight hundred and forty two children of low socioeconomic level and 2,770 children of high socioeconomic level were initially measured. Those with a z score for height below -1 were selected (251 of low socioeconomic level and 157 of high socioeconomic level) and the height of their parents was measured.


RESULTS
Mothers and fathers of low socioeconomic level were 6.1 and 7.4 cm shorter than their counterparts of high socioeconomic level. The z score for height of low socioeconomic level children was significantly better than that of their parents and the relative risk for stunting was 2 when one of the parents had a short stature. Among children of high socioeconomic level, the relative risk of stunting was 4.8 and 11, when the mother or the father had a short stature, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The better height adequacy of low socioeconomic level children, compared to their parents, suggests that the new generations are growing better than their ancestors. Among children of high socioeconomic level, whose growth potential is fully expressed, the parents height is a good predictor of stunting.
Amigo
H
H
Departamento de Nutrición, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile.
Bustos
P
P
Radrigán
M E
ME
D001827:Body Height / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors