Black M M, Krishnakumar A
Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore 21201, USA.
J Nutr. 1999 Feb;129(2S Suppl):539S-543S. doi: 10.1093/jn/129.2.539S.
Growth curve models were used to examine the effect of genetic and ecological factors on changes in height and weight of 225 children from low income, urban families who were assessed up to eight times in the first 6 y of life. Children with early growth deficiency [failure to thrive (FTT)] (n = 127) and a community sample of children without growth deficiency (n = 98) were examined to evaluate how genetic, child and family characteristics influenced growth. Children of taller and heavier parents, who were recruited at younger ages and did not have a history of growth deficiency, had accelerated growth from recruitment through age 6 y. In addition, increases in height were associated with better health, less difficult temperament, nurturant mothers and female gender; increases in weight were associated with better health. Children with a history of growth deficiency demonstrated slower rates of growth than children in the community group without a history of growth deficiency. In the community group, changes in children's height and weight were related to maternal perceptions of health and temperament and maternal nurturance during feeding, whereas in the FTT group, maternal perceptions and behavior were not in synchrony with children's growth. These findings suggest that, in addition to genetic factors, growth is dependent on a nurturant and sensitive caregiving system. Interventions to promote growth should consider child and family characteristics, including maternal perceptions of children's health and temperament and maternal mealtime behavior.
生长曲线模型用于研究遗传和生态因素对225名来自低收入城市家庭儿童身高和体重变化的影响，这些儿童在生命的前6年接受了多达8次评估。对有早期生长缺陷[发育迟缓（FTT）]的儿童（n = 127）和无生长缺陷的社区儿童样本（n = 98）进行了研究，以评估遗传、儿童和家庭特征如何影响生长。父母身高较高、体重较重、招募时年龄较小且无生长缺陷史的儿童，从招募到6岁时生长加速。此外，身高增加与健康状况更好、气质较不困难、母亲养育和女性性别相关；体重增加与健康状况更好相关。有生长缺陷史的儿童的生长速度比无生长缺陷史的社区组儿童慢。在社区组中，儿童身高和体重的变化与母亲对健康和气质的认知以及喂养期间母亲的养育有关，而在FTT组中，母亲的认知和行为与儿童的生长不同步。这些发现表明，除了遗传因素外，生长还依赖于一个养育和敏感的照料系统。促进生长的干预措施应考虑儿童和家庭特征，包括母亲对儿童健康和气质的认知以及母亲用餐时的行为。
