Evaluation of the Effects of Malnutrition Detected in Children and Adolescents on the Adult Final Height

Abstract

Aim: It is known that chronic malnutrition observed in the early childhood creates many negative results in adult life. Studies examining the effects of nutritional deficiency experienced at older ages and in adolescence are quite limited. In other words, the long-term consequences of nutritional defect in acute/ chronic moderate or mild malnutrition patients still remains important as an issue to be investigated. For this purpose; In this study, it was aimed to determine the final adult height (predicted adult height) of children and adolescents with different age distribution and who were diagnosed with malnutrition as a result of nutritional-endocrinological anthropometric evaluations, and to compare these data with their genetic potential. Material and Methods: The study included 21 cases diagnosed with malnutrition in the pediatric endocrinology department. After the detailed history of the cases, anthropometric measurements and physical examination, biochemistry, hormonal and micronutritional status, celiac antibody levels were evaluated. In the anthropometric evaluation of all cases, body weight, height, height deviation, bone age, target height, target height deviation parameters were used. Patients’ pubertal development was determined according to Tanner-Marshall staging. In the determination of the nutritional status of the patients, data including Weight for Age (WA), Height for Age (HA) and Weight for Height (WH) were used as a nutritional anthropometric measurement using the Gomez-Waterlow classification. In addition, the predicted adult height was calculated with special formulas based on skeletal ages in all cases. Predicted adult height data were obtained using Bayley N Pinneau tables. Results: Of the 21 cases with an average age of 9.81±4.34 years, 12 were prepubertal and 9 were pubertal. Acute episode over chronic malnutrition was found in 19 cases, chronic in 2 cases and acute malnutrition in one case. Considering the severity of malnutrition; WA parameter was determined as severe malnutrition in 1 case, mild-moderate malnutrition in 20 cases, HA parameter was determined as normal in 12 cases, mild-moderate malnutrition in 9 cases, WH parameter was determined as normal in 3 cases, mild-moderate malnutrition in 18 cases. While the predicted adult height of all cases was 164.89±7.96 cm, the target height average of these cases was 166.5±8.09 cm. It was observed that the predicted adult height compared to the target height was the lowest in the chronic group. In seven cases with bone age below 6 years of age, the actual height deviations were distinctly behind the target height deviation. All of these cases were compatible with chronic malnutrition. Conclusion: These results are valuable in terms of showing that malnutrition experienced in any period of growth may negatively affect the predicted adult height. On the other hand, this research; It emphasizes the importance of nutritional anthropometry in all cases with or without short stature. In addition, in another study we conducted in 11 adolescents, it was found that nutritional defect negatively affected growth by decreasing IGF1/IGFBP3 levels, and growth factors increased and growth was supported in the cases that were nutritionally supported. In this study, if the nutritional deficiency is not replaced in patients with malnutrition, it suggests that even if the actual height is not affected, there will be retardation in the final height of the patients.