3. Original Scientific Paper Physical Growth Patterns of Lodha Boys and Girls of Paschim Medinipur District, West Bengal. by A. Adak and S. Roy Abstract Physical growth in children is a fundamental aspect of development, characterized by significant changes in height, weight, body composition, and overall physical capabilities. This study investigates the physical growth patterns of the Lodha children under five years of age in rural Paschim Medinipur, West Bengal, India. Using data from 192 children across eight villages, age-sex differences in height, weight, MUAC, and head circumference were analyzed using Student’s t-test and one-way ANOVA. Results indicate better growth patterns for boys than girls in most age groups regarding growth indicators like height, weight, head circumference, and chest circumference. Sex difference between Lodha boys and girls were statistically significant in most age groups; in mean height, the sex difference is statistically significant in 2+ (t=2.377; p≤0.05) and 4+ (t=2.778; p≤0.05) years age group and in mean weight, in 2+ (t=2.437; p≤0.05), 3+ (t=2.118; p≤0.05), 4+ (t=3.138; p≤0.05) years age group. Compared to international standards, the overall growth of the Lodha boys and girls is very concerning as only a few children (percentile chart) exhibited satisfactory growth, which is concerning. The differences in growth indicators like height and weight between present study participants and international growth standard are significant in all age-sex groups, where the present study participants show significantly lower growth values. The findings highlight the need for targeted nutritional and care interventions to improve growth outcomes. Download Complete Article