Longitudinal growth of arm circumference in Punjabi infants.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE:To study distance and velocity growth pattern of mid-upper-arm-circumference in Punjabi infants. DESIGN: Longitudinal, monthly follow up. SETTING: Growth clinic and homes of subjects. SAMPLE One hundred and fifty four (Male 86, Female 68) Punjabi infants weighing more than 2.5 kg at birth with gestation over 37 weeks. METHODS: Every subject was measured for mid-upper-arm circumference between 1 to 12 months of age at one monthly intervals by the same investigator with a time tolerance of 3 days on the day of measurement. RESULTS: Mid upper arm circumference showed rapid increase between 1 to 6 months whereafter, gain became slower during second half of infancy. It had grown by 34.9% in male and 40.2% in female infants between 1 to 12 months. Sex differences favoring male infants were statistically significant between 1 to 4 months. Monthly growth rates for arm-circumference depicted vascillatory pattern. CONCLUSION: The values presented for arm circumference may be used as reference base to monitor growth of children during infancy.