title: Secular Trends in Heights and Weights in Boys and Girls Over 3 Decades in Rural India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Secular trends in height reported from developing countries are few and scarce.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess secular trends in linear growth in boys and girls from birth to 18 years of life in rural households of India based on periodical cross-sectional surveys conducted over a period of 35 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study uses data from baseline and final surveys of National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau from 1975 to 1979 (N = 6043) to 2012 to 2013 (N = 11 910) on anthropometry from birth to 18 years from 7 states in households of rural India.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall improvement in 18+ boys and girls was 3.1 and 1.0 cm, respectively, over a period of 35 years. The increments in height of 18+ were highest for both boys (7.4 cm) and girls (4.8 cm) in the state of Kerala followed by Tamil Nadu (boys, 7.3 cm and girls, 3.8 cm). Under-5 stunting rates reduced from 82% in the baseline survey to 45.7% in the final survey at 1.35% per year in the pooled states and was similar in both boys and girls. The recovery in stunting was highest in Tamil Nadu (1.63% per year) followed by Kerala (1.46% per year).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The pattern of secular trends in height in rural India seen over 3 decades was strikingly similar to that of developed countries. The phenomenal improvement in linear growth in Kerala and Tamil Nadu in children younger than 5 years and adolescents suggests that growth potential for Indians is similar to that of developed countries.
authors.affiliation: 1 Clinical Division, National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, India.
authors.forename: Raja Sriswan
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Mamidi
authors.affiliation: 1 Clinical Division, National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, India.
authors.forename: Hemalatha
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rajkumar
authors.affiliation: 1 Clinical Division, National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, India.
authors.forename: K V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Radhakrishna
authors.affiliation: 1 Clinical Division, National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, India.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Babu
keywords: 0 to 18 years; height; linear growth; rural India; secular trends; weight