Variations in the Pattern of Stature and Sitting Height among Urban Lagos Adolescent School Children

Assessment of stature and sitting height is of importance when estimating the growth and development of individuals. These indices serve as markers for determining the overall nutritional, health, and general growth patterns of children and adolescents. This study aimed to determine the pattern of stature and sitting height variations in urban Lagos adolescent school children. In the study, a total of 674 students aged 10 to 17 years were used, comprising 354 males and 320 females. These were drawn from two secondary schools, one of high socio-economic status and the other of low socio-economic status. Two anthropometric parameters were measured: sitting height and stature. The results obtained were presented in tables and graphs with their means, standard deviation, and median. It was observed that boys generally had higher values of stature and sitting height compared to girls of the same age group, especially in ages 10 to 15 years, but had similar or closely related values between 16 to 17 years. Also, students of schools with high socio-economic status were observed to have higher measurements compared to those from schools with low socio-economic status. Stature was generally higher in girls of high economic status compared to boys of the same status, and was higher than both boys and girls of low economic status, and this was marked at ages 10 to 14 years.