Secular changes in growth of Polish schoolboys from 1955 to 1988 in historic context

Abstract

BackgroundAnthropometric data, especially in children, has been widely used to evaluate the effects of socioeconomic conditions on growth and well‐being.ObjectiveThe aim of this analysis is to describe the changes in height, weight and body mass index (BMI) in Polish schoolboys born between 1937 and 1981 from a historic perspective.MethodsData from four nation‐wide cross‐sectional surveys (1955, 1966, 1978, and 1988) were analyzed. Height, weight and BMI were converted to standardized scores using the LMS method applied to the 2000 National Center for Health Statistics growth reference.ResultsIn each consecutive survey year schoolboys (7–18 years) are generally taller and heavier than the same aged boys in the previous survey year. Within survey years, there is a decline with age into puberty in height Z‐scores. The prevalence of obesity is low and underweight appears to have greater relative importance.ConclusionsHistorical context of economic changes supports that adolescents measured within each survey year likely experienced an adverse environment during their first few years of life. This was partly compensated during later growth in selected birth cohorts that were measured over a 10 to 12 year interval. Some, but not all of the age dependant decline in the Z‐scores can be explained as an artifact of the reference.Research support came from Fulbright and the NS Meinig Professorship at Cornell.Grant Funding Source: Research support came from Fulbright and the NS Meinig Professorship at Cornell.