Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
4
pubmed:dateCreated
1995-4-6
pubmed:abstractText
It has been demonstrated that physical growth characteristics are subject to genetic regulation. However, in developing countries, environmental factors such as food availability and frequent infections are associated with growth faltering which is particularly marked in infancy. We have conducted anthropometric measurements of a cohort of twin children aged less than 14 years living in a rural area of The Gambia to ascertain the extent to which genetic factors influence physical growth in the presence of a sub-optimal diet. Almost 25% of the children were more than 2SD below the median of the reference population in terms of their height-for-age Z score, indicating a marked level of undernutrition. Nevertheless, the within-pair variances were significantly less for monozygous than for dizygous twin pairs for the following variables: height, head circumference and body mass index (p < 0.01); weight (p < 0.02) and mid upper arm circumference (p < 0.1), indicating that there is a strong genetic influence on growth regulation despite the sub-optimal nutrition.
pubmed:keyword
http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/keyword/ANTHROPOMETRY, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/keyword/Africa, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/keyword/Africa South Of The Sahara, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/keyword/Biology, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/keyword/Child Development--determinants, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/keyword/Child Nutrition, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/keyword/Developing Countries, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/keyword/Diseases, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/keyword/English Speaking Africa, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/keyword/Gambia, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/keyword/Genetics, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/keyword/Health, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/keyword/MALNUTRITION, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/keyword/Measurement, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/keyword/Multiple Birth, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/keyword/NUTRITION DISORDERS, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/keyword/Nutrition, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/keyword/Reproduction, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/keyword/Research Methodology, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/keyword/Research Report, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/keyword/Western Africa
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:issn
0272-4936
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
14
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
309-13
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1994
pubmed:articleTitle
Twin children in The Gambia: evidence for genetic regulation of physical characteristics in the presence of sub-optimal nutrition.
pubmed:affiliation
Medical Research Council Laboratories, Fajara, The Gambia, West Africa.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Twin Study