Table 4.
Mean (standard error) height growth rate across categories of maternal education among girls (n = 1947)
| Maternal education (years) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model | Age/growth period | 0–4 Mean (SE) | 5–8 Mean (SE) | 9+ Mean (SE) | P-valuea | Differences (9+) − (0–4)b |
| Model 1 (unadjusted) | Birth length (cm) | 47.54 (0.15) | 47.81 (0.09) | 47.97 (0.09) | 0.040 | 0.43 |
| Growth 0–3 months (cm/month) | 3.69 (0.04) | 3.77 (0.02) | 3.93 (0.02) | <0.001 | 0.24 | |
| Growth 3–12 months (cm/month) | 1.55 (0.02) | 1.58 (0.01) | 1.61 (0.01) | 0.002 | 0.06 | |
| Growth 12–32 months (cm/month) | 0.99 (0.01) | 1.03 (0.01) | 1.06 (0.01) | <0.001 | 0.07 | |
| Growth 32–max months (cm/month) | 0.47 (0.01) | 0.47 (0.01) | 0.47 (0.01) | 0.884 | 0.00 | |
| Model 2 = Model 1 + family income | Birth length (cm) | 47.29 (0.18) | 47.47 (0.14) | 47.50 (0.16) | 0.505 | 0.21 |
| Growth 0–3 months (cm/month) | 3.70 (0.05) | 3.78 (0.04) | 3.94 (0.04) | <0.001 | 0.24 | |
| Growth 3–12 months (cm/month) | 1.55 (0.02) | 1.57 (0.02) | 1.59 (0.02) | 0.086 | 0.04 | |
| Growth 12–32 months (cm/month) | 0.99 (0.01) | 1.02 (0.01) | 1.04 (0.01) | <0.001 | 0.05 | |
| Growth 32–max months (cm/month) | 0.48 (0.01) | 0.48 (0.01) | 0.48 (0.01) | 0.730 | 0.00 | |
| Model 3 = Model 1 + marital status, maternal age, parity, maternal skin colour | Birth length (cm) | 47.49 (0.18) | 47.85 (0.11) | 48.00 (0.1) | 0.030 | 0.51 |
| Growth 0–3 months (cm/month) | 3.81 (0.05) | 3.85 (0.03) | 4.00 (0.03) | <0.001 | 0.19 | |
| Growth 3–12 months (cm/month) | 1.61 (0.02) | 1.62 (0.01) | 1.63 (0.01) | 0.490 | 0.02 | |
| Growth 12–32 months (cm/month) | 1.03 (0.01) | 1.06 (0.01) | 1.08 (0.01) | 0.001 | 0.05 | |
| Growth 32–max months (cm/month) | 0.46 (0.01) | 0.46 (0.01) | 0.47 (0.01) | 0.626 | 0.01 | |
| Model 4 = Model 1 + maternal smoking during pregnancy | Birth length (cm) | 47.77 (0.16) | 48.02 (0.10) | 48.07 (0.09) | 0.251 | 0.3 |
| Growth 0–3 months (cm/month) | 3.71 (0.04) | 3.79 (0.03) | 3.94 (0.02) | <0.001 | 0.23 | |
| Growth 3–12 months (cm/month) | 1.55 (0.02) | 1.58 (0.01) | 1.61 (0.01) | 0.001 | 0.06 | |
| Growth 12–32 months (cm/month) | 1.01 (0.01) | 1.04 (0.01) | 1.07 (0.01) | <0.001 | 0.06 | |
| Growth 32–max months (cm/month) | 0.48 (0.01) | 0.47 (0.01) | 0.47 (0.01) | 0.898 | −0.01 | |
| Model 5 = Model 1 + maternal height | Birth length (cm) | 47.83 (0.15) | 47.85 (0.09) | 47.85 (0.08) | 0.993 | 0.02 |
| Growth 0–3 months (cm/month) | 2.74 (0.36) | 2.81 (0.36) | 2.97 (0.37) | <0.001 | 0.23 | |
| Growth 3–12 months (cm/month) | 0.64 (0.15) | 0.65 (0.15) | 0.67 (0.15) | 0.140 | 0.03 | |
| Growth 12–32 months (cm/month) | 0.41 (0.09) | 0.43 (0.10) | 0.46 (0.10) | <0.001 | 0.05 | |
| Growth 32–max months (cm/month) | 0.20 (0.09) | 0.19 (0.09) | 0.19 (0.09) | 0.631 | −0.01 | |
| Model 6 = Model 1 + gestational age and duration of breast feeding | Birth length (cm) | 47.66 (0.14) | 47.80 (0.08) | 47.94 (0.08) | 0.136 | 0.28 |
| Growth 0–3 months (cm/month) | 4.57 (0.24) | 4.66 (0.24) | 4.83 (0.24) | <0.001 | 0.26 | |
| Growth 3–12 months (cm/month) | 2.41 (0.10) | 2.44 (0.10) | 2.48 (0.10) | <0.001 | 0.07 | |
| Growth 12–32 months (cm/month) | 1.05 (0.06) | 1.09 (0.06) | 1.12 (0.06) | <0.001 | 0.07 | |
| Growth 32–max months (cm/month) | 0.51 (0.06) | 0.51 (0.06) | 0.51 (0.06) | 0.879 | 0.00 | |
| Full model = Model 1 + family income, marital status, maternal skin colour and maternal height | Birth length (cm) | 47.48 (0.17) | 47.62 (0.15) | 47.72 (0.19) | 0.340 | 0.24 |
| Growth 0–3 months (cm/month) | 3.71 (0.05) | 3.79 (0.04) | 3.94 (0.04) | <0.001 | 0.23 | |
| Growth 3–12 months (cm/month) | 1.55 (0.02) | 1.57 (0.02) | 1.59 (0.02) | 0.088 | 0.04 | |
| Growth 12–32 months (cm/month) | 1.00 (0.01) | 1.03 (0.01) | 1.05 (0.01) | 0.001 | 0.05 | |
| Growth 32–max months (cm/month) | 0.47 (0.01) | 0.47 (0.01) | 0.47 (0.01) | 0.527 | 0.00 | |
a
P-values relate to the comparison between maternal education categories, that is, they test the null hypothesis that there is no difference in growth rates between maternal education categories.
b
Differences between the highest and lowest education levels.