Normative data for grip strength in nonatheletic and athletic Assiut youths

The present study was carried out to construct normative data for the hand grip strength for non-atheletic and atheletic Assiuti youths aged 18 to 22 years of both sexes. The study included 700 volunteers of non-atheletic and atheletic students aged 18 to 22 years. Grip strength of each hand was measured using the standard, adjustible handle Jamar dynamometer. Body weight and height of the individuals were measured and recorded. Statistical analysis of the raw data was carried out. The study revealed a sexual difference in the grip strength. Therefore, males have a much higher grip strength than females. There is also, a side difference in the grip strength. Thus, the dominant hand possesses a greater grip strength than the non-dominant hand. The study declared that the atheletic individuals enjoy with a higher grip strength than the non-atheletic individuals of the same age. The sexual difference in the grip strength could be claimed to the advandage of body weight and height of males over females. Also, the higher sense of compitiveness, social achievement expectations and greater personality to display physical power by males is also responsible for this sexual difference in grip strength. Increased physical activity could be a possible factor of the side difference as well as the difference in grip strength of atheletic and non atheletic youths, the study provided normative data of the grip strength that help the therapists in evaluation of the hand power

Study of body weight and height of Saudi Arabian children

The present study is carried out to spot a light on the growth of Saudi Arabian children 3-15 years of age, living in El-BAHA locality. The second point in this study is to compare the growth of these Saudi children with that of Egyptian and other international children, by age. The study is carried out on a total number of 635 boys covering the studied age groups. Each child was weighened and his height was also, recorded and the raw data were statistically analyzed. The study revealed that these Saudi children show three growth spurts among the studied age groups. The first one, corresponds to the Juvenile spurt and appears during the 6-7 years interval. The second spurt occurs during the 8-9 years interval and corresponds to the prepuberal spurt. The third one is the pubertal growth spurt and it appears between 12-13 years interval. These spurs occur 1-2 years earlier than the standard ones. This can be attributed to climatic differences and may be due to endogenous hormonal factor which is the possible cause of the pubertal growth spurt. The present study shows also, that the means of height and weight of these Saudi children are lower than those of Americans, British and urban Egyptian children. Regarding rural Egyptian children, it is found that these Saudi children have lower means than them except during he ages of 9-14 years. This can be claimed to the earlier growth spurts among Saudi children. The deficits in the growth of these Saudi children may be a genetically determined since these children belong to two large tribes [El-Ghamdy and El-Zahrany] that marry from each other for along time. It can be also attributed to poor sanitary and hygenic conditions in the studied locality. The rates of chronic under-nutrition among these Saudi children were found by other studies to be higher than those of national surveys may be also considered as a possible cause of such deficits

Growth pattern of the head circumference

The present study was conducted to give an idea about the growth pattern of the head circumference. About two thousands Assiut male and female subjects aged since birth till the 21th year, were subjected to measurement of the head circumference. These individuals were classified into the following age groups. 1] The infancy period, included the following ages, newborn, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months. 2] Preschool children included, 3, 3 1/2, 4, 4 1/2, 5, 5 1/2 and 6 years. 3] School children included 7-15 yearly age groups. 4] College students 16-21 yearly age groups. Statistical analysis of the data was carried out to give the followings: means, standard deviations, standard errors, growth rate, growth pattern and regression analysis. The present study indicated that at birth, the head circumference forms about 65% of its adult size in case of boys and about 63% in girls. Then after, the head circumference grows, in both sexes, very rapidly at the early periods of life reaching about 80% of its adult size by the end of the first year and 85%, 87.5%, 89% and 90% by the end of the second, third, fourth and fifth years respectively. By the end of the sixth year the head grows more or less at a slower rate reaching about 97% of its adult size by the end of the tenth year. Then, it grows very slowly to reach its adult size by the age of 16 year. Correlation regression analysis for the head circumference and each of body weight and height in infants revealed that there is a relationship between the head circumference and weight and height of these infants. The percentile figures constructed in the present study are of great values in assessment of growth and development of Assiut children. The rapid growth of the head circumference, in early ages of life can be attributed to the rapid growth of the brain during these periods of life. This is because the growth of head circumference depends upon the growth of the intracranial contents

Secular changes in the growth of Assiut school children

The present study was conducted to detect the effect of secular trend on the growth of Assiut children, Egypt. Body weight and height of school Assiut children of both sexes aged from 7 to 15 year was recorded in 1990. The total children studied was 900 child. Statistical analysis of the data of these two growth parameters was carried out. The means of body weight and height of these children in the present study were compared with those of the three previous older studies, that were carried out on Assiut children [Hassan 1982, El- Neklawy, 1972 and El-Nomrosy 1962]. The annual increments in body weight and height for these children were calculated. The data of the present study revealed the existence of secular changes in weight and height of both boys and girls in Assiut province. Thus, either boys or girls nowadays are heavier than the correspondings in the previous studies [Hassan, 1982 and El-Nomrosy, 1962]. However, they are lighter than the correspondings in the previous study [El-Neklawy 1972]. The data indicate also, that the children in the present study are shorter than the correspondings in the previous studies [Hassan, 1982 and El-Neklaway, 1972]. But, they are taller than the corresponding in the previous study [El-Nomrosy, 1962]. Such secular growth changes cn be attributed to the improvement of the socioeconomic conditions, and improvement health and nutrition. Also, breaking up of genetic isolates [heterosis] may be responsible for such secular changes in body weight and height of these children in Assiut Governorate. Climatic changes such as the rise in world temperature may be a causative factor for these secular growth differences

Quantitative studies of body weight, length, weight and length velocities of Assiut infants and preschool children

The present study was carried out in an attempt to construct growth standards for body weight and length, weight and length velocities as well as establishment of percentile charts for body weight and length for body weight and length for infants and young children. A total number of about one thousand male and female infants and young children aged from birth till the end of the sixth year were included in the present study. Each infant and child was subjected to measurements of body weight and length. Statistical analysis of the raw data was carried out. The present study indicated that the mean birth weight was 3700 gms for boys and 3400 gms. for girls. It was noticed that the birth weight is doubled by the age of 6 months and tripled by the age of 2 years. By the age of 4 years the birth weight is quadrepled and by the age of 6 years the body weight is about 6 times of its birth weight. The present study indicated also, that the mean recumbent length was 554 mm for boys and 542 mm for girls. By the age of 2 years the body length is about one and half of its birth length and by the age of 5 years the birth length is doubled. The growth rates indicated that the infantile component of growth velocity occurred early in infancy at the age of 0-6 mo-interval. There is also, two other growth velocities in childhood, one occurred early in childhood 2-3 years interval and the other occurred later at the age 5 1/2-6 year interval. These growth standards as well as the percentile growth charts are of great importance in assessment of growth of infants and young child in our locality