Gender perceptions predict sex differences in growth patterns of indigenous Guatemalan infants and young children.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Nearly one-half of Guatemalan children experience growth faltering, more so in indigenous than in nonindigenous children.

Objectives

On the basis of ethnographic interviews in Totonicapán, Guatemala, which revealed differences in maternal perceptions about food needs in infant girls and boys, we predicted a cumulative sex difference in favor of girls that occurred at ∼6 mo of age and diminished markedly thereafter. We examined whether the predicted differences in age-sex patterns were observed in the village, replicated the examination nationally for indigenous children, and examined whether the pattern in nonindigenous children was different.

Design

Ethnographic interviews (n = 24) in an indigenous village were conducted. Anthropometric measurements of the

SUBMITTER: Tumilowicz A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6443301 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature