SECULAR TRENDS IN ANTHROPOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS IN EASTERN SIBERIAN RURAL BURYAT ADOLESCENTS FROM 2003 TO 2018

Abstract

Introduction: Monitoring of physical development in children and adolescents is an important public health routine. Recent decades have been characterized by a substantial increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents, although little evidence from Eastern Siberia is available in international literature. Aim: To study anthropometric characteristics of rural Buryat adolescents in Eastern Siberia over a 15-years period using WH0-2007 reference population to ensure international comparability of the data. Methods: Altogether, 344 Buryat adolescents aged 14-17 years took part in cross-sectional studies in 2003, 2008, 2011 and 2018 in Bayandai, Irkutsk region, Eastern Siberia. Height and weight were measured. The Anthro Plus software was used to calculate Height-for-Age and BMI-for-age Z-scores. The prevalence of stunting, underweight, overweight and obesity was calculated. Numeric data were analyzed using unpaired t-tests while categorical variables were compared using chi-squared tests. Results: The prevalence of stunting increased from 5.1 % in 2003 to 13.5 % in 2018. The girls were the most affected. The overall prevalence of overweight increased from 7.7 % in 2003 to 17.7 % in 2018. While no associations between overweight and gender were observed, only 2.0 % of girls were overweight compared to 9.1 % of boys (p < 0.001). Conclusion. An increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity is in line with the global trend, although an increase in stunting among girls warrants further research. Urgent public health measures are warranted to reduce the prevalence of stunting and to prevent development of obesity in Buryat adolescents.