Height and weight of children low compared to other countries

The height and weight of our children is low as compared to some foreign countries, says an expert. Professor Dr Syed Arif Kamal, Project Director, National Growth and Developmental Standards (NGDS), Department of Mathematics, University of Karachi said height could be raised by regular exercises and medical treatment.
While speaking at Bil-Mushahiba Programme of Radio Pakistan Karachi on June 22 he said that his organisation was making hectic efforts for the maintenance of height and weight of Pakistani children. According to him the height and weight of the children was low as compared to some foreign countries of the world like US, adding height and weight have direct relations to the health of children.
"Low height causes fatness and ultimately affects children's health. More height also creates some health problems. The normal height of people should be 5.4 feet.
He said that NGDS was collecting data of school children in this regard and initially, it had prepared data of 2005 school children, particularly belonging to army schools, which showed unsatisfactory results because the height and weight of these children did not meet standard.
Professor Kamal said that his organisation was raising public awareness at school level in order to maintain standard weight and height of children. He said that height of men and women below 21 and 19 years respectively could be raised.
He said that present funding of the project was limited but they were making efforts to raise more funds, adding they would also expand their program to interior Sindh. Kamal asked parents to pay special attention to their children regarding their physical fitness and ensure balanced diet besides involving them in regular exercises.
The Project Director said that raise in height and reduction in weight could be achieved through regular exercises and medical treatment. We were also imparting training to doctors and parents of children in this regard, he said. Arif Kamal said NDGS was established in 1998 and it was a pilot project, adding efforts were being made to expand the programme across the country.