Article Abstract:
Maturation and growth of 343 adolescent Sereer girls of Senegal have been studied as they relate to seasonal labor migration. Some of the girls, 12.5-14.5 years of age, migrated for 8 months of the year to an urban area in the dry season to work as maids, while 222 lived in villages all year. Going to the city seems to improve nutritional status. The girls who went to the city had significantly higher body mass and BMI and thicker skinfolds than the other, but no stature differences. In the migrant group those with two or more stays in the city were taller and heavier. The girls who went to the city were more sexually mature than the others. Growth during puberty in Africa is a matter of concern.
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Article Abstract:
A study aimed to assess the timing of sexual maturation among sub-Saharan African adolescent girls from rural areas. Results conclude that these adolescent girls were less mature than other adolescent girls of the same age group from other developing countries and their puberty was extremely delayed due to malnutrition, significant energy expenditure, poor diet, poor living conditions and possibly to genetic control.
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Article Abstract:
A study of adolescent girls of the Sereer ethnic group in Senegal examined energy expenditure and physical activity in relation to maturation, growth and nutritional status. The girls had high levels of physical activity, spending more than 3.5 hrs per day in domestic tasks.
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