Anthropometric Parameters In Children Research Articles

The Therapeutic Effect of Pancreatic Enzyme Replacement on Anthropometric Parameters in Children with Malnutrition: A Pilot Clinical Trial

Background: Malnutrition presents a significant global health challenge, necessitating the creation of innovative treatment strategies. Objectives: This study explored the therapeutic impact of pancreatic enzymes on improving growth indicators in children suffering from moderate to severe malnutrition. Methods: In this clinical trial, patients aged 2 to 14 years with growth disorders (Z-score weight below -2) attending a Gastroenterology Clinic were randomly assigned to two groups: Pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) and control. The trial involved a pilot study with 30 subjects in each group. The PERT group underwent a 2-month treatment regimen of 1000 U/kg pancreatic enzymes taken with the main three meals, complemented by a nutritional plan. In contrast, the Control group received mineral supplements and followed a regular diet. Demographic data and anthropometric indices, including height, weight, body mass index (BMI), and Z scores, were recorded before and after the intervention. Results: In this study, a statistically significant difference was observed in the mean values of weight, height, BMI, and appetite among children with growth disorders in the PERT group before and after the intervention. However, no statistically significant difference was found between the mean values in the PERT group and the control group. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that the therapeutic effect of pancreatic enzymes on improving growth parameters in malnourished children was not statistically significant. Future randomized trials on a larger scale with longer treatment durations are warranted.

Validity of "Mid-Upper Arm Circumference" as a Parameter to Identify Undernourished Children in Rural Gujarat.

Mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) measures the arm muscle and fat area. The use of MUAC as a screening measure for assessing undernutrition has the following advantages; it makes use of a simple equipment, is easy to carry at the field sites, and requires minimal training. In India, "mid-upper arm circumference" is widely used and accepted in many nutritional programs. This study was conducted with the primary objective to compare different anthropometric parameters of children and to validate the usefulness and limitations of MUAC to screen out undernourished children. Anthropometric measurements were recorded for all the anganwadi centers of the selected sub-center that comes under the field practice area of our department. The measurements like weight, height, MUAC were done according to the standard guidelines as per WHO, and further, calculations were done with the help of "Anthro software 3.2.2." Comparisons were done between categorization of MUAC tape and Weight-for-Height Z-scores (WHZ), and hence, the sensitivity and specificity of the MUAC tape to screen the malnourished child were found out. Sensitivity of MUAC to categorize a child in red/yellow was only 9.03%, negative predictive value (NPV) was 40.75%, specificity came 95.10%, and positive predictive value was 73.68% on taking WHZ as the gold standard. MUAC has a limited role in screening out an undernourished child (red/yellow category), whereas it has a good role in screening healthy children (green category).

Body composition and resting energy expenditure in a group of children with achondroplasia

BackgroundPersons with achondroplasia develop early obesity, which is a comorbidity associated with other complications. Currently, there are no validated specific predictive equations to estimate resting energy expenditure in achondroplasia. MethodsWe analyzed the influence of body composition on this parameter and determined whether predictive models used for children with standard height are adjusted to achondroplasia. In this cross-sectional study, we measured anthropometric parameters in children with achondroplasia. Fat mass was obtained using the Slaughter skinfold-thickness equation and resting energy expenditure was determined with a Fitmate-Cosmed calorimeter and with predictive models validated for children with average height (Schofield, Institute of Medicine, and Tverskaya). ResultsAll of the equations yielded a lower mean value than resting energy expenditure with indirect calorimetry (1256±200 kcal/day [mean±SD]) but the closest was the Tverskaya equation (1017 ± 64 kcal/day), although the difference remained statistically significant. We conclude that weight and height have the greatest influence on resting energy expenditure. ConclusionWe recommend studying the relationship between body composition and energy expenditure in achondroplasia in more depth. In the absence of valid predictive models suitable for clinical use to estimate body composition and resting energy expenditure in achondroplasia, it is recommended to use the gold standard methods by taking into account certain anthropometric parameters.

Body Mass Index Growth Curves for Birth to 24 Months Children in Ankara with RefCurv Software

It is important to monitor the development of infants and children during their growth period. Various anthropometric parameters of children are measured at regular intervals after birth, and their general health and nutrition and physiological needs are assessed based on these measurements. To construct the current body mass index (BMI) percentiles and compare them with the literature reports and World health organisation (WHO) data. Cross-sectional design. This study is a cross-sectional research on 1,345 boys and 1,364 girls of age ranging from 0 to 24 months; their BMIs were measured at the Başkent University Hospital from January 2018-December 2021. The BMI growth curves for either gender were constructed according to the LMS method by using RefCurv 0.4.2. software. The "gamlss" package was employed for the selection of model parameters in fitting the BMI growth curves, and the model performance was evaluated with reference to the generalized Akaike information criterion (GAIC). According to gender, smoothed BMI growth curves were constructed in the 3rd-97th percentiles. The model adequacy of the fitted growth curves was evaluated with the worm plot. The fit of the BMI model to the data was found to be sufficient, with 95% of the BMI values occurring between two elliptic curves. We examined the current BMI percentiles and growth curves of children aged 0-2 years living in Ankara and noted a slight increase in the BMI percentile values obtained by gender when compared to the WHO standards.

Differences in Anthropometric Parameters of Children in Six European Countries.

The databases of children's anthropometric parameters are often outdated, rarely representative and are not always available at an international level. To present children's anthropometric parameters in six European countries that contributed to the Feel4Diabetes project and find country-specific differences. The Feel4Diabetes study was performed between 2016 and 2018, targeting children in Belgium, Bulgaria, Finland, Greece, Hungary and Spain. The current study presents data from the baseline and the yearly follow-up anthropometric measurements. In total, 20,832 measurements of children (48.7% boys) between 6 and 10 years of age were conducted. weight, height, BMI. Belgian boys had the lowest body weight and height, while Greek boys had the highest body weight, and Finnish had the highest body height. The highest proportion of overweight (percentile above 85%) and obese boys (percentile above 95%) was in Greece, followed by Hungarian, Spanish, Bulgarian and Finnish boys. In contrast, Belgian boys had the lowest ratio in both categories. Among girls, Greece had the highest; Belgium had the lowest body weight; Finland was the highest in all age categories. The ratio in the overweight range was the highest in Greece, followed by Spanish, Bulgarian and Hungarian girls, who were second in the obese category. Finnish girls had lower and Belgian girls had the lowest ratio in both BMI categories. All the detailed data are presented in tables, and the trends are figures. Our study presents fresh and comparable anthropometric data of children between 6 and 10 years of age in six European countries, supporting the need for appropriate obesity prevention.

Relation between socioeconomic status and maternal serum lipids to infant lipid concentrations and anthropometry in the first year of life.

The physical health and development of an individual are influenced by multiple parameters and shaped by internal and external factors during pregnancy. However, it is unclear whether there is an association between maternal lipid concentrations in the third trimester of pregnancy and infant serum lipids as well as anthropometric growth, and whether these factors are influenced by the socioeconomic status (SES) of the mothers. Between 2011 and 2021, 982 mother-child pairs were recruited in the LIFE-Child study. To investigate the influence of prenatal factors, pregnant women at the 24th and 36th week of gestation as well as children at the age of 3, 6 and 12months were examined and serum lipids determined. Socioeconomic status (SES) was assessed using the validated Winkler Index. A higher maternal BMI was associated with a significantly lower Winkler score and a higher infant weight, height, head circumference and BMI from birth up to the 4th-5th week of life. In addition, the Winkler Index correlates with maternal HDL cholesterol and ApoA1 levels. There was no relation between the delivery mode and the maternal BMI or SES. For the maternal HDL cholesterol concentration in the third trimester, an inverse relation to children's height, weight, head circumference and BMI up to the first year of life as well as the chest and abdominal circumference to an age of 3months was found. Children born to mothers with dyslipidemia in pregnancy tended to have a worse lipid profile than those born to normolipidemic mothers. Serum lipid concentrations and anthropometric parameters of children in the first year of life are affected by multiple factors like maternal BMI, lipid levels and SES.

Growth in children with congenital Zika syndrome: a 4-years longitudinal cohort study

ABSTRACT To describe and analyze the changes in anthropometric parameters in children with congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) from birth to four years of age. This prospective study evaluated 117 children diagnosed with CZS. Anthropometric indices evaluated annually were classified with respect to presence of microcephaly and adequacy of weight-for-age, length/height for-age and body mass index-for-age (BMI-for-age). At birth, 69.6% of the children had microcephaly, 90.2% had adequate weight and 72.1% had adequate length. The following year, an increase occurred in the proportion of children with microcephaly, with a reduction of those with adequate weight. In the second year, the proportion of children with microcephaly increased again, while those with adequate BMI decreased. In the third to fourth years of life, a reduction was found in the proportion of children with adequate height. Anthropometric indices are affected in children with CZS over the first four years of life and appear to be potentiated over time.

Anthropometric Parameters of Children with Congenital Zika Virus Exposure in the First Three Years of Life.

Little is known about the impact of congenital Zika virus (ZIKV) exposure on growth in the first years of life. In this prospective cohort study,201 ZIKV antenatally-exposed children were followed at a tertiary referral center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Eighty-seven were classified as congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) patients and 114 as not congenital Zika syndrome (NCZS); growth parameters were described and compared between groups and with WHO standard growth curves. Thirty-four (39%) newborns with CZS and seven (6%) NCZS were small for gestational age (p < 0.001). NCZS mean weight measures ranged from −0.45 ± 0.1 to 0.27 ± 0.2 standard deviations (SD) from the WHO growth curve median during follow-up, versus −1.84 ± 0.2 to −2.15 ± 0.2 SD for the CZS group (p < 0.001). Length mean z-scores varied from −0.3 ± 0.1 at 1 month to 0.17 ± 0.2 SD between 31 and 36 months in the NCZS group, versus −2.3 ± 0.3 to −2.0 ± 0.17 SD in the CZS group (p < 0.001). Weight/height (W/H) and BMI z-scores reached -1.45 ± 0.2 SD in CZS patients between 31 and 36 months, versus 0.23 ± 0.2 SD in the NCZS group (p < 0.01). Between 25 and 36 months of age, more than 50% of the 70 evaluated CZS children were below weight and height limits; 36 (37.1%) were below the W/H cut-off. Gastrostomy was performed in 23 (26%) children with CZS. During the first three years of life, CZS patients had severe and early growth deficits, while growth of NCZS children was normal by WHO standards.

On the Relevance of Developing New Collections of Recipes and Culinary Products for Healthy Eating of Children

Introduction: Healthy nutrition is one of the major components of public health and wellbeing. The structure of nutrition shall satisfy physiological needs of children in macronutrients, vitamins and minerals, and shall contribute to the development of healthy nutrition skills, proper eating habits and behavior. New requirements for school catering have come into force recently. They envisage changes demanding a simultaneous update of technological documentation for activities of catering operators and canteens. Objective: Improvement of technological documentation in terms of the development of collections of recipes and culinary products as well as typical menus for healthy feeding of children in compliance with the updated requirements. Materials and methods: The study of disease incidence, intensity of physical activity, and anthropometric parameters of children studying in the Volga Federal District cadet corps was carried out for 2018–2021. Statistical data analysis was performed using standard methods in Statistica 10.0 and Microsoft Excel software packages. The “Nutrition” programming tool was used to develop recipe books and menus. Results: Assessment of the overall morbidity revealed its negative trend mainly attributed to unhealthy diet and poor eating habits of children. The study of physical activity of the cadets showed high and above optimal levels in the course of training. According to the results of correlation and regression analysis, changes in anthropometric parameters of cadets compared to schoolchildren were attributed to malnutrition inadequate for energy and biological parameters of nutritional value, especially in the age groups of 14–17 years. Conclusions: Our findings confirmed the relevance of developing technological documentation in terms of collections of recipes and culinary products and standard menus for organization of healthy feeding of children in compliance with modern requirements. The recipes of the developed collection contain information on the weight per serving, energy value, the content of micro- and macronutrients.

Association of urinary triclosan, methyl triclosan, triclocarban, and 2,4-dichlorophenol levels with anthropometric and demographic parameters in children and adolescents in 2020 (case study: Kerman, Iran).

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can be a major risk factor for noncommunicable illnesses, especially when children are exposed to them. The purpose of this study was to assess the urine concentrations of triclosan (TCS), methyl triclosan (MTCS), triclocarban (TCC), and 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) and its association with anthropometric and demographic parameters in children and adolescents aged 6–18 living in Kerman, Iran, in 2020. A GC/MS instrument was used to measure the concentrations of the analytes. TCS, MTCS, TCC, and 2,4-DCP geometric mean concentrations (µg/L) were 4.32 ± 2.08, 1.73 ± 0.88, 4.66 ± 10.25, and 0.19 ± 0.14, respectively. TCS, MTCS, TCC, and 2,4-DCP were shown to have a positive and significant association with BMI z-score and BMI (p-value < 0.01). TCS and MTCS have a positive, strong, and substantial association (p-value < 0.01, r = 0.74). There was no significant association between the waist circumference (WC) and the analytes studied. In addition, there was a close association between analyte concentration and demographic parameters (smoking, education, income, etc.) overall. In Kerman, Iran, the current study was the first to look into the association between TCS, MTCS, TCC, and 2,4-DCP analytes and anthropometric and demographic data. The levels of urinary TCS, MTCS, TCC, 2,4-DCP, and anthropometric parameters in children and adolescents are shown to have a significant association in this study. However, because the current study is cross-sectional and it is uncertain if a single experiment accurately reflects long-term exposure to these analytes, more research is needed to determine the impact of these analyses on the health of children and adolescents.

Changes in Diet and Anthropometric Parameters in Children and Adolescents with Celiac Disease-One Year of Follow-Up.

Celiac disease (CD) may cause numerous nutrient deficiencies that a proper gluten-free diet (GFD) should compensate for. The study group consists of 40 children, aged 8.43 years (SD 3.5), on average, in whom CD was diagnosed on the basis of clinical symptoms, immunological and histopathological results. The patients’ height, weight, diet and biochemical tests were assessed three times: before diagnosis, after six months, and following one year of GFD. After one year, the patients’ weight and height increased but nutritional status (body mass index, BMI percentile) did not change significantly. The children’s diet before diagnosis was similar to that of the general Polish population: insufficient implementation of the dietary norm for energy, fiber, calcium, iodine, iron as well as folic acid, vitamins D, K, and E was observed. Over the year, the GFD of the children with CD did not change significantly for most of the above nutrients, or the changes were not significant for the overall assessment of the diet. Celiac patients following GFD may have a higher risk of iron, calcium and folate deficiencies. These results confirm the need for personalized nutritional education aimed at excluding gluten from the diet, as well as balancing the diet properly, in patients with CD.

Assessment of the physical development and metabolic status of children born to women with gestational diabetes

Backgraund: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the most common metabolic disorders found during pregnancy. Currently, it is relevant not only to search optimal target levels of glycemia during pregnancy, but also to study the ­effect of different glycemia levels on fetal development and further changes in glucose and lipid metabolism in children.Aims: To describe perinatal period, physical development and metabolic status of children born to women with GDM and different glucose levels during pregnancy.Materials and methods: The perinatal period features and anthropometric parameters at birth were evaluated in 300 children born to women with GDM and different levels of glycemia during pregnancy. Over the course two years, 141 children have been evaluated for physical development parameters and glucose and lipid metabolism. Fasting and postprandial glycemia was measured with glucometer for 14 days in 33 children aged 1 to 4 years.Results: The anthropometric parameters of children at birth did not differ from the parameters of the control group (p&gt; 0.05) when during pregnancy fasting blood glucose was less than 5.1 mmol / l and 7.0 mmol / l 1 hour after a meal. The glycemia in women above this level was associated with an increase of frequency and risk of a body mass index, body mass / length ratio and head circumference “above average” in children at birth (p &lt;0.05). With the dynamic control of anthropometric parameters up to 2 years, no differences between the comparison groups were obtained (p&gt; 0.05). The change in metabolic parameters was represented by neonatal hypoglycemia in children of GDM group (GDM group — 23%, control group — 3.5%, p = 0.000002), the least risk of which occurred in group with the lowest fasting and postprandial glycemic values during pregnancy. Fasting glucose, and insulin levels, НOMA index, triglycerides and cholesterol, as well as monitoring fasting and postprandial glycemia for 14 days, were obtained no significant differences between the comparison groups of children (p&gt; 0.05).Conclusions: The lowest risks of neonatal hypoglycemia and anthropometric deviations at birth were associated with the lowest glycemia levels during pregnancy, which correspond to the criteria of the Russian clinical guidelines.

The effect of constipation due to diseases of the colon on the anthropometric parameters of children

Anthropometric parameters of children under 18 years of age living in Fergana region were studied by age, sex and region. Using the data obtained, the anthropometric parameters of the children were analyzed. Constipation caused by various colon diseases common in children has been found to have a negative effect on children's anthropometric performance. The data obtained are compared to certain parts of the body (head, neck, chest, abdomen and pelvis, arms and legs) and growth or change is observed. Anthropometric data are used not only in medicine but also in criminology to describe and identify criminals.

ASSOCIATION BETWEEN LONG-TERM USAGE OF DIFFERENT DOSAGES OF INHALED GLUCOCORTICOSTEROIDS AND PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN WITH BRONCHIAL ASTHMA

&lt;b&gt;Introduction.&lt;/b&gt; Data on the effect of inhaled glucocorticosteroids (IGCS) on the physical development of children remain controversial. &lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;Aim.&lt;/b&gt; The aim of the study was to assess the dose-dependent effect of IGCS on the anthropometric parameters of children with bronchial asthma (BA). &lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;Patients and methods.&lt;/b&gt; The centile method was used to assess the physical development of 50 children with BA. Group I included 21 patients who received low/medium doses of IGCS, and group II was composed of 29 patients who used medium/high doses of IGCS for BA control. Results. Normal (10-90 percentiles) growth according to the age was observed in the majority of patients of the I (76.9% of cases) and II (72.4% of individuals) groups (p&gt;0.05), despite their long-term use of IGCS. On average, the body mass index (BMI) was within the absolute norm: 19.2±0.6 kg/m&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; in the I group and 21.3±0.7 kg/m&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; in the II group (p&lt;0.05). Overweight (BMI&gt;25 kg/m&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;) was recorded in 13.8% of patients in the II group and in 4.8% of children in the I group (p&gt;0.05). &lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;Conclusion.&lt;/b&gt; The negative impact of the long-term use of IGCS, even in high doses, on growth and body weight of the asthmatic children was not confirmed. Statistically significant associations of obesity and short stature with prolonged usage of medium-high or high doses of IGCS was not found: the relative risk of excessive body weight was 1.4 (95% CI: 0.17-11.97), while the relative risk of short stature was 1.3 (95% CI: 0.15-11.89).

Диагностические маркеры локального адаптивного иммунного ответа и критерии прогноза течения воспалительных заболеваний ротоносоглотки у детей

Objective. To study age-related interrelations between cytokine concentrations and parameters of physical development in children with inflammatory diseases of the oropharynx. Materials and methods. 50 children aged 3 to 14 years were examined. Serological tests were performed to determine cytokine concentrations in oronasopharyngeal secretion, their interrelationships, as well as physical development of children with assessment of anthropometric parameters using the centile method. Results. As was found, interleukin-1β concentrations in oral and nasopharyngeal secretions in the group of schoolchildren exceed more than twice this parameter in the group of preschool children. At the same time, the cytokine interferon-g in schoolchildren decreases as compared with preschool children. According to the results of our study, the deviations of the average group anthropometric parameters (body weight and length) in children with inflammatory diseases of the oronasopharynx from the normative values are determined by the dynamic of individual adaptive variability with the predominant restriction of weight parameters. Disharmonious physical development, increasing with age in children with limited adaptive variability, predominantly of weight characteristics, correlates with lower values of the similar characteristic of their local immune response. Conclusion. The results of adaptive immune response and interconnections between cytokine concentrations in oronasopharyngeal mucosa and the anthropometric parameters of children of varied age might serve as the diagnostic markers of local immune response and prognostic criteria for the course of inflammatory diseases of the oronasopharynx in this cohort of children. Key words: adenotonsillar complex, oronasopharynx, immune response, interleukin-1β, interferon-γ, physical development

Reliability of Functional Balance Tests and Their Correlation With Selected Anthropometric Parameters in Children Aged 7-10 Years

Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the reliability of functional balance tests and their correlation with selected anthropometric parameters in children aged 7-10 years. Methods: Participants were 80 students aged 7-10 (40 female and 40 male). Romberg Test and Sharpened Romberg Test were used for assessing static balance, while timed up and go test, tandem walk test, and Y-balance test were used for measuring dynamic balance. Selected anthropometric factors were body height, upper body length, lower body length, Foot length and body mass. Reliability was determined using intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), and Pearson correlation was used for examining the relationship between balance tests and selected anthropometric parameters at a significance level of P≥0.05. Results: Static balance tests were not reliable, but dynamic tests were reliable. No significant correlation was found between anthropometric parameters and static and dynamic tests (P&gt;0.05); except between lower body length and Y-balance test (r=0.53, P=0.01). Conclusion: It seems that at the age of 7-10 years, static balance tests are affected because the sensory systems related to balance are developing. Therefore, static balance tests, which require weighting of each of these systems with eyes closed and open, are not good criteria for examining the balance of this age group. Hence, it is better to use dynamic balance tests, especially the Y-balance test.

The efficiency of Governmental and WFP UN Programs for improvement of nutritional status in Tajik schoolchildren as assessed by dietary intake and hair trace element content

BackgroundThe objective of the study was to assess hair trace element and mineral content in children undergoing WFP UN and the governmental programs of school nutrition in Tajikistan. MethodsWFP program included provision or wheat flour fortified with micronutrients including Fe and Zn, and iodized salt, whereas within the governmental program hot meals were provided. A total of 202 children studying in schools that were not (Type 1, n = 100) or were involved in dietary intervention programs (Type 2, n = 102). Food and hair trace element content was assessed using ICP-MS. ResultsDaily intake of Fe, I, Zn, B, Co, Mg, Si, and Sr in Type 2 schools was more than 2.5, 12, 4, 2.9, 2.6, 2, 3, and 2-fold higher than that in Type 1 schools. Correspondingly, anthropometric parameters in children from Type 2 schools exceeded the control values. Surprisingly, no significant difference in hair iodine levels was detected. Hair analysis demonstrated a significant increase in hair Ca, Mg, Na, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn, Se, V, Zn content. Certain toxic elements including Al, As, and Be were also characterized by an increase in Type 2 schools. At the same time, nutritional intervention was associated with a significant decrease in hair B, Hg, and Sn levels. ConclusionsNutritional intervention within WFP and the governmental program was effective in increasing essential trace element supply in Tajik schoolchildren. However, further studies including a detailed assessment of nutritional and health status with a special focus on iodine and thyroid functioning are required.

The relation of serum nesfatin-1 level with anthropometric and metabolic parameters in children and adolescents: A prospective observational study.

Nesfatin-1, a recently discovered anorexigenic neuropeptide, seems to play an important role in hypothalamic pathways regulating food intake and energy homeostasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relation of serum nesfatin-1 level with metabolic and anthropometric parameters in children and adolescents.This study prospectively included 78 Korean children and adolescents (42 obese/overweight group and 36 healthy control group). Fasting serum nesfatin-1 was quantitatively assayed by ELISA. Lipid profile, fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were measured as metabolic parameters.Serum nesfatin-1 levels were significantly lower in obese/overweight group than in control group (median 1.4 vs 2.0 ng/mL; P = .003). Pubertal subjects have the lower serum nesfatin-1 level than pre-pubertal subjects (median 1.5 vs 2.6 ng/mL; P = .02). Nesfatin-1 levels negatively correlated with chronological age (r = -0.37; P = .001), BMI (r = -0.33; P = .003), and BMI SDS (r = -0.26; P = .02).In conclusion, our results suggest that serum nesfatin-1 negatively correlated with BMI in children and adolescents. It suggests that nesfatin-1 might have an important role in regulation of food intake in obese children and adolescents.

Comparison of Slovak reference values for anthropometric parameters in children and adolescents with international growth standards: implications for the assessment of overweight and obesity

AimTo compare the national reference percentile values for body height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) of children and adolescents in Slovakia with international standards and to analyze growth trends in this population.MethodsThe study was designed as a repeated cross-sectional survey. Two nationwide anthropometric surveys (NAS) performed in 2001 and 2011 assessed body weight, height, and BMI of 38 692 children aged 7 to 18 years. Age- and sex-specifıc smoothed percentiles were generated with the lambda-mu-sigma method. Slovak standards were compared with World Health Organization (WHO) 2007 z-scores and International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) standards.ResultsMedians of body height corresponded to the 75th-85th percentile of the WHO 2007 standards. The secular trend of height increase was attenuated, and the final body height did not change between NAS 2001 and NAS 2011. The cut-off BMI values for obesity, set at the 97th percentile for age <14 years, were higher across age ranges than WHO 2007 standards but lower than IOTF standards. Obesity prevalence, relatively low in 2001 (<3%), doubled during the following decade (P < 0.001), with the highest values (4.8%-7.6%) observed in children aged up to 13 years.ConclusionNAS 2001 data were chosen as national growth standards, as these data were not influenced by the obesity rates increase in the period between the surveys. BMI cut-offs were lower than those in most European countries. Obesity proportions in prepubertal and pubertal boys might be overestimated when WHO 2007 cut-offs are used.

The Assessment of Bone Regulatory Pathways, Bone Turnover, and Bone Mineral Density in Vegetarian and Omnivorous Children.

Vegetarian diets contain many beneficial properties as well as carry a risk of inadequate intakes of several nutrients important to bone health. The aim of the study was to evaluate serum levels of bone metabolism markers and to analyze the relationships between biochemical bone markers and anthropometric parameters in children on vegetarian and omnivorous diets. The study included 70 prepubertal children on a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet and 60 omnivorous children. Body composition, bone mineral content (BMC), and bone mineral density (BMD) were assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Biochemical markers—bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP), C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX-I), osteoprotegerin (OPG), nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL), sclerostin, and Dickkopf-related protein 1 (Dkk-1)—were measured using immunoenzymatic assays. In vegetarians, we observed a significantly higher level of BALP (p = 0.002) and CTX-I (p = 0.027), and slightly lower spine BMC (p = 0.067) and BMD (p = 0.060) than in omnivores. Concentrations of OPG, RANKL, sclerostin, and Dkk-1 were comparable in both groups of children. We found that CTX-I was positively correlated with BMC, total BMD, and lumbar spine BMD in vegetarians, but not in omnivores. A well-planned vegetarian diet with proper dairy and egg intake does not lead to significantly lower bone mass; however, children following a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet had a higher rate of bone turnover and subtle changes in bone regulatory markers. CTX-I might be an important marker for the protection of vegetarians from bone abnormalities.