Head circumference growth of schoolgirls in the fokontany of vohibinany brickaville, madagascar (ages 6 to 18)

Physical anthropology

Context: An individual's physical development can be measured in various ways; one of these is head circumference. These measurements allow us to detect the growth status of sampled individuals. Objective: The goal of this research is to assess the head circumference growth for girls aged 6 to 18 attending public schools (primary and secondary) in Vohibinany Brickaville, Madagascar. Methods: 403 girls aged 6 to 18 participated in this study, divided into annual age groups. Head circumference measurements were taken using a Seaca tape measure in millimeters. This data made it possible to draw up growth curves for girls according to their age. Comparisons with other available data were also made. Results: The average head circumference values vary according to age, ranging from 48.70 cm for 6-year-olds to 53.38 cm for 18-year-olds. The annual gain is between 0.01 cm and 0.85 cm. A fluctuation in the growth rate of head circumference was observed, i.e., alternating periods of slowdown and periods of rapid growth. Based on a comparison of this head circumference growth curve with available data, these girls have a slightly lower value than those in the reference three countries. Conclusion: apart from hereditary factors, other factors such as demographic and socio-economic factors within each family interact in the cephalic growth of children. The mediocrity of our population's situation contributes to this delay. Perspectives: The relevant authorities are advised to combat this malnutrition. This involves considering new jobs and income-generating activities, supporting existing sectors such as agriculture, livestock farming, crafts, etc., and providing training and knowledge sharing, as well as new technologies to improve the lives of every household.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.