THE GROWTH-PATTERN OF SELECTED PRIMARY-SCHOOL CHILDREN IN RIYADH, SAUDI-ARABIA

During the 1989 academic year, 2677 public primary school Saudi children, in 33 selected schools, in Riyadh, were examined and assessed for their growth pattern. The height for age values, for both boys and girls, were below the median, fluctuating between the 15th and 30th percentiles, of the smoothed standard curves of the National Center for Health Statistics, NCHS/USA. The 6-year-old children manifesting no stunting, were close to the 40th and 45th percentiles. The weight for age, and mid-arm circumference values showed a similar pattern. Triceps skinfold thickness (TSF) values were slightly different. They were lower, both for boys and girls, at 6 years of age, then gradually approached the 50th and 30th percentiles at ages 12 and 13 years respectively, which indicated a trend toward obesity.