EARLY NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTATION AND SKELETAL MATURATION IN GUATEMALAN ADOLESCENTS

The effect of early childhood nutritional supplementation on skeletal maturation at adolescence was investigated in 663 rural Guatemalans, a ged 11-18 y. Skeletal maturation was assessed by the Tanner-Whitehouse -2 method. The subjects were former participants in the Institute of N utrition of Central America and Panama longitudinal study of growth an d development (1969-77) residing in four villages (two large and two s mall) in eastern Guatemala. The villages were randomized within pairs to receive either a high energy, high protein supplement (Atole) or a low energy supplement with no protein (Fresco). Skeletal maturity was observed across all villages to be delayed significantly relative to a British reference for boys < 14 y of age, but not for older boys or f or girls < 14 y of age. Delays in girls > 14 years could not be determ ined reliably because many had reached maturity. Girls < 14 years from Atole villages were more advanced in skeletal maturity than similar a ge girls from Fresco villages but these differences were found only in comparisons of the large villages. The relationship between early nut rition and biological maturation at adolescence may be obscured in thi s sample by the advanced age at which the subjects were examined in ad olescence.