Four decades of socio-economic inequality and secular change in the physical growth of Guatemalans

OBJECTIVE: To investigate changes in socio-economic inequalities in growth in height, weight, BMI and grip strength in children born during 1955-1993 in Guatemala, a period of marked socio-economic-political change. DESIGN: We modelled longitudinal data on height, weight, BMI and hand grip strength using Super-Imposition by Translation and Rotation (SITAR). Internal Z-scores summarising growth size, timing and intensity (peak growth velocity, e.g. cm/year) were created to investigate inequalities by socio-economic position (SEP; measured by school attended). Interactions of SEP with date of birth were investigated to capture secular changes in inequalities. SETTING: Urban and peri-urban schools in the region of Guatemala City, Guatemala. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were 40 484 children and adolescents aged 3-19 years of Ladino and Maya ancestry (nobservations 157 067). RESULTS: The difference in height (SITAR size) between lowest and highest SEP decreased from -2·0 (95 % CI -2·2, -1·9) sd to -1·4 (95 % CI -1·5, -1·3) sd in males, and from -2·0 (95 % CI -2·1, -1·9) sd to -1·2 (95 % CI -1·3, -1·2) sd in females over the study period. Inequalities also reduced for weight, BMI and grip strength, due to greater secular increases in lowest-SEP groups. The puberty period was earlier and shorter in higher-SEP individuals (earlier SITAR timing and higher SITAR intensity). All SEP groups showed increases in BMI intensity over time. CONCLUSIONS: Inequality narrowed between the 1960s and 1990s. The lowest-SEP groups were still >1 sd shorter than the highest. Risks remain for reduced human capital and poorer population health for urban Guatemalans

Four decades of socioeconomic inequalities and secular changes in the physical growth of Guatemalans [abstract]

Four decades of socioeconomic inequalities and secular changes in the physical growth of Guatemalans [abstract

Differences and secular trends in childhood IQ trajectories in Guatemala City

This study documents differences in childhood IQ trajectories of Guatemala City children, aged 6-15 years and born 1961-1993, according to school attended, height-for-age Z-scores (HAZ) and over time (Flynn effect). IQ data come from the Universidad del Valle de Guatemala Longitudinal Study of Child and Adolescent Development. IQ was measured using standardised tests from the Otis-Lennon Mental Ability Test-series. A multilevel model was developed to describe 60 986 IQ observations (level 1), in 22 724 children (level 2), in five schools representing students of different socioeconomic status (SES) (level 3). Average IQ trajectories differed by school. The difference in average IQ at age 11 years between the students of high and low SES schools was 28.7 points. A one-unit increase in HAZ was associated with a 1.42 (0.72, 2.11) unit higher IQ if HAZ was </p