The relationship between physical growth and infant development in rural Guatemala

The present study investigated the relationship between a number of anthropometric indices and behavioral development during the first 2 years ofHfe in rural Guatemala. Length and weight were the indices most strongly correlated with behavioral development. If the effect of the infant's length and weight was statistically controlled for, none of the other anthropometric variables explained a significant proportion of the variance in behavioral development. Con- trolling for length (or weight) assessed at the same age as the behavioral assessment, length (or weight) for younger ages was not significantly correlated with behavioral development. Changes in length or weight over time were correlated with changes in behavioral performance. We were unable to explain the association between physical growth and behavioral develop- ment by a number of variables including gestational age, nutrient intake, prevalence of disease, and familial characteritstics. Researchers have reported a correlation related to behavioral growth. An example con-between various anthropometric indices and in- cems length and head circumference. Length tellectual performance in human populations is a reflection of overall growth; head circum-(Gam 1966; Tanner 1969). However, a de- ference is a reflection, in part, of brain size tailed investigation of the relationship between (Dodge, Prensky, & Feigin 1975). A stronge