Growth of Immigrant Chinese Infants in the First Year of Life

Abstract

Our findings suggest that rapid weight gain in Chinese-American infants in the first 6 months after birth can be expected, and may then lessen. By the first year, on average, these infants' weights will be < 50th percentile using the American National Center for Health Statistics growth standard. These findings can reassure health providers and help them to provide sound nutritional recommendations and counselling to parents.

Growth of Chinese Italian infants in the first 2 years of life

“…The mid-arm circumference is greater in the Chinese Italian children, while the triceps and subscapular skinfolds are slightly thicker in the sample of He et al (2001). Our finding of a higher growth rate for Chinese children living in Italy than for those living in China agrees with the observation of Wheeler and Tan (1983) that Chinese children in London had higher length values than Chinese children in China, and with the observation of Wu and Daniel (2001) that Chinese-American infants were significantly heavier and longer than Chinese infants born and raised Taiwan. Other comparisons with Chinese children living in other industrialized countries yielded the following results.…”

“…The weight and BMI values of Chinese Italian children are generally similar to or higher than those reported by other authors for Chinese children living in China (Zhang & Huang 1988, Yip et al 1991, Leung et al 1998, 2000, Li et al 1999, Wu & Daniel 2001, He et al 2001. The length is also generally higher in our sample than in Chinese Growth of Chinese Italian infants children living in China (Zhang & Huang 1988, Leung et al 1996, 2000, Li et al 1999, He et al 2001, Wu & Daniel 2001, particularly in females. Head circumference in our sample is similar to or slightly greater than that reported by Zhang and Huang (1988) and by He et al (2001).…”

“…However, our sample of Chinese Italian children does not show the growth faltering observed in other studies on children living in China (Lu et al 1980, Rao & Zhang 1989, Yang & Zheng 1989, Tam et al 1999, Wu & Daniel 2001) and on Chinese-Canadian infants living in Toronto , in which weight faltering begins at the age of 8 months.…”

“…Other comparisons with Chinese children living in other industrialized countries yielded the following results. Chinese Italian children have higher length values than samples of Chinese children living in Paris (Roville-Sausse 1992) and in America (except at birth in males) (Wu & Daniel 2001).…”

“…Various authors have attributed early growth faltering to both environmental and genetic components. Wu and Daniel (2001) suggested that this growth pattern, especially the reduction in the rate of weight and/or length increase, might be interpreted by a nurse with little experience in caring for a Chinese population as an indicator of health problems, including malnutrition, failure to thrive or neglect. Therefore, healthcare professionals applying the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) growth standards to Chinese infants could inappropriately suggest modifications of nutritional intake.…”