SURVEY ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARENT SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND PRESCHOOL CHILDREN GROWTH IN AHVAZ CITY 2015

Introduction: One of the non-genetic factors that affect children growth is parent socioeconomic status, so exact determination of each one of factors such as father education, mother education, maternal work outside the home and monthly income is effective on children height growth and weight gain. It also could help us to prevent children growth disorders. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between socioeconomic level of the parents on weight gain and height growth of preschool children in Ahvaz 2015. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the data was obtained using Purposive sampling from 208 children of 3-6 years old that came to a private pediatric clinic in Ahvaz in 2015 regardless of their sex. Measurement of height and weight of all patients with the meter and scale was performed. After measuring height and weight, stature-for- age and weight-for- age percentiles was calculated using child growth chart calculator of CDC (centers for disease control and prevention) for each child. Demographic Information of children and information about parent socioeconomic status were gathered using researcher made questionnaire. Data analysis was performed with descriptive statistic and Kendall's tau statistical test using SPSS24 software. Results: The results of this study showed that weight gain is connected to mother`s education (P=0.013) and parent`s income (P<0.048). when the mother`s education and monthly income are higher, children weight gain would be more appropriate. Other variables didn`t affect either the children height growth or weight gain (P>0.05). Conclusion: Women with higher education are more succeed in upbringing children with appropriate weight gain. As well as children would have better weight growth by increasing family income level and its direct impact on other aspects such as nutrition status. Key words: Preschool children, Growth, Parent, Socioeconomic status