A Study of the Diurnal Height Changes among sample of Adults aged Thirty years and above in Ghana
Obed Harrison
Affiliation
Department of Nutrition and Food Science, School of Biological Sciences College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, P. O. Box LG 134, Legon-Accra, Ghana
Corresponding Author
Frederick Vuvor, Department of Nutrition and Food Science, School of Biological Sciences College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon-Accra, Ghana, Tel: +233244608344; E-mail: fredvuvor@yahoo.com
Citation
Vuvor, F., et al. A Study of the Diurnal Height Changes Among Sample of Adults Aged Thirty Years and Above in Ghana. (2017) Lett Health Biol Sci 2(2): 91- 96.
Copy rights
© 2017 Vuvor, F. This is an Open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Keywords
Abstract
Introduction: The diurnal variations in stature significantly affect the reliability of height data. Diurnal variation in stature affects the reliability of any data that involves height measurement without a correction factor at different times of the day. The aim of the study was to determine the diurnal height loss of adults aged ≥ thirty years in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana.
Materials and Methods: A total of 90 subjects were randomly sampled. Weight and Height measurements were taken twice a day between 5.30 - 7.30 am and 5 - 7 pm. WHO-Step wise questionnaires were used to gather all information on subjects.
Results: The maximum height loss between 7 am and 7 pm from the study was 2.7 cm whiles mean was 1.61 cm. There was a greater mean height loss in males (1.63 cm) than in females (1.59 cm), greater mean BMI difference between morning and evening BMI was observed for females (1.21 kg/m2) than in males (1.02 kg/m2). There was significant association between height loss and occupational activities (p-value < 0.001).
Conclusion: The height of the subjects significantly reduced from 7 am to 7 pm and increased from 7 pm to 7 am. The major factor that contributes to diurnal height variations is the level of occupational activity performed in a day. No significant relationships were established between age, sex, total caloric intake and diurnal height loss.
