A Study of the Growth and Development of the Infants Participated in Kyungpook Well-Baby Contest

ABSTRACT

Yearly Well-Baby Contest has been held in order to recognize the importance pf the childanjx growth and development. The total number of the infants (6 months to 24 months) who participated in this Kyungpook regional contest, held on April 1976, were 149 comprising 130 infant boys and 19 infant girls. After throughful investigation of the several important parameters including their physical development (body length, weight, head and chest circumference), nutritional status (arm circumference, Kaup index, hemoglobin and signs of the vitamin D deficiency) and the feeding history, the following results were obtained. Comparing their body length and weight with Korean Children Growth Standard (K.S.) and Japanese Children Growth Standard (J.S.), their body length were superior to those of K.S. (3.11cm to 9.4cm) and J.S. (2.3cm to 6.27cm) and their body weight superior t those of K.S. (1.99kg to 4.41kg) and J.S.(1.56kg to 3.21kg). Their arm circumference were superior to those of Korean Mean Value (1973, Hong) by 1.57cm to 2.3cm and no significant difference was noted between both sex and each age groups. The Kaup index was above 20 in 15.4% of male infant and 21.1% of female infants. Mixed feeding was the most common form of the infant feeding comprising 41.6%, followed by breast feeding in 39.6% and bottle feeding in 18.8%. Weaning was started within 6months of age in 54.4% of the infants and the majority(92.6%) of the infants within 12 months of age. In one third of the infants (32.2%) there were signs of the vitamin D deficiency including Harrisonanjx groove, rachitic rosary etc., and no difference was noticed between different types of feeding. One third (32.9%) of the infants showed anemia, using the criteria of anemia as being hemoglobin less than 10.5mg%. Incidence was the highest among breast-fed infants (47.5%), followed by mixed-fed infants in 24.2% and bottle-fed infants in 21.4%. In 19.2% of the infants supplemental vitamin D was given and only 6.7% of the infants was given iron as supplement. The conclusion arrived from these results indicated that their physical growth was quite good but nutritional status was inadequate, represented in many infants sych as signs of the vitamin D deficiency and anemia. It is hoped that by education and guidance of the mothers, especially about the proper feeding method, infants growth and development could be improved further.