Anthropometric characteristics of the infant considered as eutrophic in the Northern Area of Santiago (1969) and their relations to the diet

Abstract

The anthropometric features of 271 supposedly healthy infants aged 3-24 mth were selected in 4 outpatient departments and analyzed. The relationship of these features to the calories, proteins and iron in their daily diet was also studied. The children's weight, height and skull circumference were also compared with the values shown in the Iowa curves. The children's 50th percentile was found to be below that of the Iowa curves. About 30% of the male infants and 25% of the females were below the 10th percentile for weight, height and skull circumference of the American curves. It is doubtful whether the supposedly healthy children were in fact normal. The relationship between the anthropometric features of the children and the calories, protein and iron in their daily diet, obtained through this inquiry, was doubtful with regard to iron. It seems possible that the iron should be more significant and representative of the real nutrients offered.