Growth status and academic performance in Brazilian school age children: growth retardation impairs mathematical, but not reading and spelling abilities.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effect of child growth status on academic achievement and the association between child growth and academic standing.


METHODS
The heights of 722 middle-school children were measured using standard procedures and height-for-age z (HAZ) scores were calculated based on an international reference. Academic performance was assessed by an adaptation of the Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT3) composed of Reading, Arithmetic and Spelling.


RESULTS
Children in the group with higher HAZ scores performed better than children in the group with lower HAZ scores only on the Arithmetic subtest. This finding was confirmed by a multiple regression model analysis of the data. In addition, only performance on the Arithmetic subtest was positively associated with HAZ.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that growth retardation impacts specifically on the development of arithmetic (numeracy) skills and are consistent with a three-fold model of life course influences on health including latency, cumulative and pathway effects.
Brito
Gilberto N O
GN
Laboratóorio de Neuropsicologia Clínica, Setor de Neurociências, Departamento de Pediatria, Instituto F e rnandes Figueira, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro. ccsgnob@vm.uff.br
de Onis
Mercedes
M
D000124:Achievement; D000293:Adolescent; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008433:Mathematics; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011932:Reading; D014706:Verbal Learning