Frongillo E A, Hanson K M
Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853-6301, USA.
Ann Hum Biol. 1995 Sep-Oct;22(5):395-411. doi: 10.1080/03014469500004082.
This cross-national study aimed at understanding variability in growth among nations and its determinants. It examined the variability of growth among nations, the factors most important for explaining this variability, how these factors jointly determine growth, and the consistency of the patterns and relationships. A conceptual model was adapted from U. Jonsson. National data on height and weight of children, sex, ethnicity, and 15 social, economic, health, education, and political factors were combined from three secondary sources. A sequence of multiple linear regression models was used with three age groups: 1-2, 3-5, and 6-10 years. Substantial variability in growth among nations was seen in comparison to that within nations. Regression models with sex, ethnicity, food security, maternal and child care, and health services and environment explained a large percentage of this variability. Institutions, politics/ideology, economic structure, and potential resources contributed little additionally to the models. Ethnic differences among nations were observed and persisted even when models controlled for other factors, but should not necessarily be interpreted as genetic differences. Determinants for height, weight, and weight adjusted for height were somewhat different. Adjustment for only previous growth and sex explained about 90% of variability in growth, supporting the assumption that growth patterns are generally established early in life. As policy decisions and programmes addressing mild-to-moderate malnutrition are increasingly considered, the implications of cross-national variability in growth may assume greater importance. Future work should examine simultaneously the effects of national, community, family, and individual characteristics on growth using data from individuals in a number of nations.
这项跨国研究旨在了解各国之间生长发育的差异及其决定因素。它考察了各国之间生长发育的差异、解释这种差异最重要的因素、这些因素如何共同决定生长发育，以及模式和关系的一致性。一个概念模型改编自U. 琼森。儿童身高、体重、性别、种族以及15个社会、经济、健康、教育和政治因素的国家数据来自三个二手资料来源。针对1 - 2岁、3 - 5岁和6 - 10岁三个年龄组使用了一系列多元线性回归模型。与国内情况相比，各国之间的生长发育存在显著差异。包含性别、种族、粮食安全、母婴护理以及卫生服务和环境的回归模型解释了这种差异的很大一部分。制度、政治/意识形态、经济结构和潜在资源对模型的额外贡献很小。观察到各国之间存在种族差异，即使模型控制了其他因素，这种差异仍然存在，但不一定应解释为基因差异。身高、体重以及身高调整体重的决定因素略有不同。仅对先前生长情况和性别进行调整就能解释生长发育差异的约90%，这支持了生长模式通常在生命早期就已确立的假设。随着越来越多地考虑针对轻度至中度营养不良的政策决策和项目，跨国生长发育差异的影响可能会变得更加重要。未来的工作应该使用多个国家个体的数据，同时考察国家、社区、家庭和个体特征对生长发育的影响。
