Table 1

Relationships between anthropometric markers and children's age according to gender and study period

1956–7

1998–9

2005–6

ANCOVA

P value

Boys

Height (cm/year of age)

5.17 [4.86–5.48]

5.51 [5.15–5.87]

5.54 [5.30–5.79]

0.67

0.526

Weight (kg/year of age)

2.44 [2.02–2.86]

3.61 [2.97–4.25]

3.80 [3.38–4.22]

2.89

0.081

Girls

Height (cm/year of age)

5.24 [4.96–5.53]

5.05 [4.11–5.99]

5.06 [4.01 – 6.12]

0.02

0.983

Weight (kg/year of age)

2.86 [2.20–3.53]

3.63 [3.22 – 4.04]

3.75 [3.27–4.24]

1.66

0.219

Results are expressed as increase (in height, respectively weight) per year of children's age (i.e. slope) and [95% confidence interval] calculated from the pooled data of the two years of each period. ANCOVA: test for equality of the slopes between periods.

Marques-Vidal et al. BMC Public Health 2008 8:166   doi:10.1186/1471-2458-8-166