Resumen

BURROWS A., Raquel; RAMIREZ M., Iván; CORDERO M., Jaime  y  MUZZO B., Santiago. Cambio secular del retraso de talla en escolares chilenos de tres regiones del país. Rev. chil. pediatr. [online]. 1999, vol.70, n.5, pp.390-397. ISSN 0370-4106.  http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0370-41061999000500005.

The sequential change of SS in 6-16 year old Chilean schoolchildren between 1986 and 1994 was analized. Random samples were analyzed for sex, school year and economic/social status. Sample sizes in 1986 were 4 331 girls, 3 354 boys, in 1991 1 620 girls, 1 675 boys and in 1994 were 1 437 girls and 1 822 boys, taken from the cities of Santiago, Calama, Antofagasta and Temuco. Height for age below the 95% according to WHO standards was classified as SS. Regardless of sex SS decreased progressively from 1986 to 1994 (27.8%, 24.9%, 13% in girls, 31.2%, 29.6%, 18.2% in boys respectively). Classifying the children according to age, girls less than 10 yrs, or 10 and above, and boys less than 12 yrs or 12 and above, the percentage of children with SS was lower in younger children (27.8%, 24.9%, 13% in girls, 31.2%, 29.6%, 18.2% in boys) compared to that in older children (41.1%, 39.8%, 25.5% in girls, 44.2% 41.7%, 26.2% in boys) with an overall decrease in all 4 age groups. The trends in SS suggest an improvement in environmental conditions, but this growth tendency has not yet stabilized, the older group being the worst affected. It is necessary to investigate other possible environmental deficits in order to improve health programmes for an improved expression of the childrens genetic potential

Palabras clave : growth; secular growth; schoolars.