Growth, school attendance, and serum albumin levels in South African black children of 10-12 years.

Studies on representative series of South African Black schoolchildren aged 10-12 years revealed the following. (1) In the age sex groups, mean proportions lying below the Boston 3rd percentile of weight for age were high (a very common phenomenon), ranging from 20-84 per cent. (2) Of total moieties above and below the 3rd percentile, 96 per cent and 95 per cent had normal weight for height (more than 80 per cent of the 50th percentile of reference standards). (3) Both moieties had equally excellent records of school attendance, 94 per cent and 93 per cent. (4) Mean serum albumin levels, also the proportions having relatively low levels, did not differ significantly, either in the respective subgroups above and below the 3rd percentile, or in groups of pupils accustomed and not accustomed to supplementary school-feeding. Accordingly, it is considered that classification, without qualification, of schoolchildren as malnourished simply because of slower growth compared with western norms is unwarranted.