title: Socioeconomic status, anthropometric status, and psychomotor development of Kenyan children from resource-limited settings: a path-analytic study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sub-optimal physical growth has been suggested as a key pathway between the effect of environmental risk and developmental outcome.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine if anthropometric status mediates the relation between socioeconomic status and psychomotor development of young children in resource-limited settings.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study design was used.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 204 (105 girls) children from two resource-limited communities in the Coast Province, Kenya. The mean age of these children was 29 months (SD = 3.43; range: 24-35 months).
  
  
  METHODS
  Psychomotor functioning was assessed using a locally developed and validated measure, the Kilifi Developmental Inventory.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant association was found between anthropometric status (as measured by weight-for-age, height-for-age, mid-upper arm circumference, and head circumference) and psychomotor functioning and also between socioeconomic status and anthropometric status; no direct effects were found between socioeconomic status and developmental outcome. The models showed that weight, height and to a lesser extent mid-upper arm circumference mediate the relation between socioeconomic status and developmental outcome, while head circumference did not show the same effect.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among children under 3 years living in poverty, anthropometric status shows a clear association with psychomotor development while socioeconomic status may only have an indirect association.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Geographic Medicine Research-Coast, KEMRI/ Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kenya. A.AbubakarAli@uvt.nl
authors.forename: Amina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abubakar
authors.forename: Fons
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Van de Vijver
authors.forename: Anneloes
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Van Baar
authors.forename: Leonard
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mbonani
authors.forename: Raphael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kalu
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Newton
authors.forename: Penny
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Holding
mesh_terms: D000886:Anthropometry; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status / Q000502:physiology; D011203:Poverty; D011596:Psychomotor Disorders / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012923:Social Class