Kids grow taller in the school holidays, claims health expert

Ever wondered why your children seem to outgrow their school uniforms after the summer break and not so much during the rest of the year?

It’s because kids grow in the school holidays, claims an Australian expert.

According to Professor Timothy Olds from the School of Health Sciences at the University of South Australia, children rise in height and also put on more weight when they take a break from school.

Kids grow taller in the holidays than during school term

“During school terms, kids get leaner. In the holidays there’s change in diet, but also less stress,” Professor Olds tells ABC News.

“Stress has a big impact on hormones which affect growth.”

 

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Dr. Olds says humans have been growing at the rate of one centimetre per decade over the last 150 years.

This could be because of the advances in nutrition, better sanitation, hygiene and the improvement of overall health.

In fact, kids are expected to grow at least three centimetres taller than their parents, and children are expected tp grow as much as 16 centimetres in a year.

Eggs help young kids grow taller, study finds

Meanwhile, another study has found that an egg a day helps undernourished children grow to a healthy height.

A six month study in Ecuador found that of the 160 youngster that took part in the trial, those who were fed an egg a day for six months were less likely to be considered short for their age.

Lead researcher Ms Lannotti said: “We were surprised by just how effective this intervention proved to be.

“And what’s great is it’s very affordable and accessible for populations that are especially vulnerable to hidden hunger or nutritional deficiency.

“Eggs contain a combination of nutrients, which we think is important.”

The World Health Organisation recommends that children are given a variety of nutritious foods every day.

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