Main description:

Today when the world is looking towards India as a human resource capital, the quality of such resource becomes a global concern. This book studies the relation between aberrant growth, adult diseases, and human capital, and recommends growth monitoring as a tool for human capital development. The growth in the first two years after birth is crucial-it contributes to better schooling, adult stature, income generation, and birth weight in the next generation. The book shows that recognition of aberrant growth and timely intervention can combat not only childhood morbidity but also adult diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and hypertension, which can affect the next generation.

The book refers to data from an ongoing cohort study, started in New Delhi in 1969, and finds that growth monitoring can have great intergenerational impact in India, where both childhood and adult morbidity are very high. Its contribution can be immense, given the impact on the future generation of Indians.

Contents:

Foreword by K. Srinath Reddy
Preface
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Part 1 Background of the Study
1. Genesis
2. Launching of the Study
3. Demography
Part 2 The Cohort
1. Pregnancy
2. Birth and Outcome of Cohort
3. Low Birth Weight
4. Child Survival, Health, and Disease
Part 3 Growth, Cognitive Development, and Nutrition
1. Growth
2. Cognitive Development
3. Nutrition
Part 4 Transition to Adult Phase
1. Assembling the Cohort
2. The Beginning of the Adult Period
3. Re-establishing the New Delhi Birth Cohort
4. Environments, Social and Cultural Changes
Part 5 Childhood Growth, Adult Health
Body Growth, Adult Health, and Disease
Size at Birth, BMI, Body Composition, and Chronic Adult Diseases
Body Growth and Human Capital Development
Parental Influences on Adult Health
Body Growth, Genetic Studies, and Adult Health Outcome
Part 6 Intergenerational and Transgenerational Studies
1. The Intergenerational Change in F1 and F2 Generation
2. The Third Generation
Part 7 Community Expectations and Challenges
1. Attrition or Loss to Follow up
2. Cohort Participation
Part 8 Implications and Impact
1. Public Health and Policies
2. The NDBC Research
3. Childhood Growth, Adult Health, and Human
4. Intergeneration and Trans-generational
5. Challenges to Community Participation
Part 9 Summation
References
Appendix
Index