Ivo Coelho sdb BOSTON, JUNE 28, 2009: An extremely interesting talk by Cutberto Garza, Provost, Dean of Faculties at Boston College, entitled "Raising the Bar: An International Growth Standard for Infants and Young Children." Garza has been involved the last 20 years in a WHO project for standardization of child growth. (Fred Lawrence justified this talk at the Lonergan Workshop, Boston College, by pointing out that the famous preferential option was not only for the poor but also for the young. Somehow theologians managed to drop 'the young' from their attention. Something for Salesians to think about.)
The most startling finding of the project is that height has nothing to do with race or genetics, only with environment. Kids grow in the same way in the first five years if you give them all that they need. And part of what they need is breast-feeding.
The study involved countries such as India, Ghana, Oman, Norway, the US and some others. The finding is so startling that the US government has not yet accepted it. Garza said that the US finds it difficult to accept the fact that there is no difference between Indian and Ghanian and Omani children and American children.... And, I guess, governments such as the Indian now have no excuse in terms of race or genetics; if children fail to grow, it is entirely a matter of environment.
The study evoked understandable reactions from the formula-feed lobbies, but it appears that that opposition has largely died down. Perhaps it is time for Salesians to get interested in child growth standards?
The most startling finding of the project is that height has nothing to do with race or genetics, only with environment. Kids grow in the same way in the first five years if you give them all that they need. And part of what they need is breast-feeding.
The study involved countries such as India, Ghana, Oman, Norway, the US and some others. The finding is so startling that the US government has not yet accepted it. Garza said that the US finds it difficult to accept the fact that there is no difference between Indian and Ghanian and Omani children and American children.... And, I guess, governments such as the Indian now have no excuse in terms of race or genetics; if children fail to grow, it is entirely a matter of environment.
The study evoked understandable reactions from the formula-feed lobbies, but it appears that that opposition has largely died down. Perhaps it is time for Salesians to get interested in child growth standards?