title: Intergenerational Change in Anthropometric Indices and Their Predictors Among Children in New Delhi Birth Cohort.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate intergenerational change in anthropometric indices of children and their predictors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  New Delhi Birth Cohort participants (F1), born between 1969 and 1972, were followed-up for anthropometry at birth and 6-monthly intervals until 21 years. Their children (F2) below 10 years were evaluated anthropometrically.
  
  
  METHODS
  Intergenerational change (F2-F1) in height, weight and body mass index (BMI) of children in comparison to their parents at corresponding ages.
  
  
  RESULTS
  432 F2-F1 pairs were analyzed in age-groups of 0-5 (26.9%) and 5-10 (73.1%) years. Children were considerably taller (0-5 years 0.99 SD; 5-10 years 1.17 SD) and heavier (0-5 years 0.77 SD; 5-10 years 1.52 SD) while only those aged 5-10 years were broader (had a higher BMI; 1.03 SD), than their parents. These increases for 0-5 and 5-10 years, respectively corresponded to 3.9 and 6.4 cm for height, 1.3 and 5.4 kg for weight and 0.2 and 1.9 kg/m2 for BMI. Lower parents' anthropometric indices and poor water supply and sanitation facilities; higher age of parents at child birth and of children when measured (for height and weight); and more parental education (for weight and BMI), were associated with greater intergenerational gains in children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Over one generation in an urban middle-class population, whose general living conditions had improved, under-five children have become considerably taller and heavier, and 5-10 year old children have additionally become broader, than their parents at corresponding ages. Child populations probably 'grow up' before 'growing out'.
authors.affiliation: *Sitaram Bhartia Institute of Science and Research, $University School of Medicine and Para-medical Health Sciences, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, #National Institute of Medical Statistics, Indian Council of Medical Research, and ‡Sunder Lal Jain Hospital, New Delhi, India; and **MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK. Correspondence to: Prof Harshpal Singh Sachdev, Senior Consultant Pediatrics and Clinical Epidemiology, Sitaram Bhartia Institute of Science and Research, B-16 Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi 110 016, India. hpssachdev@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sikha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sinha
authors.forename: Abha Rani
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Aggarwal
authors.forename: Clive
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Osmond
authors.forename: Caroline H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: D Fall
authors.forename: Santosh K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Bhargava
authors.forename: Harshpal Singh
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Sachdev
mesh_terms: D000886:Anthropometry; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D049628:Body Size / Q000502:physiology*; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents