On validity of some anthropometric indices for identifying determinants of mortality of young children.

In an investigation concerning the utility of anthropometric indices for mortality determinants anthropometric data of 1976 children aged 12-23 months were used from Matlab the vital registration area of the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research Bangladesh during November-December 1975 along with mortality data of 110 children who died during the 2 years of follow-up. First the full sample of children and then 100 reduced samples each were drawn randomly as 10% sampling fractions from the full sample. Socioeconomic data included mothers education and dwelling space while demographic information included sex birth order of all surviving children at the time of survey and mothers age. The National Center for Health Statistics standard was used to create the weight-for-age index the Harvard standard was used to create height-for-age and weight-for-height indices and the Polish standard was used to create arm circumference-for-age index. In the first model sex dwelling space and birth order were independent variables. The relationship between birth order and mortality was found to be U-shaped. Sex and dwelling space were found to be significant variables (P<0.01); however birth order was not significant at the 5% level. In the second model dwelling space and an interaction term for sex and birth order were independent variables and both were found to be significant (P<0.01) determinants of mortality. The efficiency of the anthropometric indices and mortality data for the identification of the dwelling space and the interaction term was compared using McNemars test. All anthropometric indices except weight-for-height were significantly more efficient than mortality data for this identification. For the identification of the dwelling space weight-for-age was the best indicator; and height-for-age arm circumference and arm circumference-for-age were equally good and better than weight-for-height and mortality.