Changes in growth patterns in Zagreb school children related to socioeconomic background over the period 1973–1991

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to present the changes in growth patterns in different socio-economic classes of Zagreb school children over the period 1973-1991. Classes are defined by parental occupation. Surveys were performed in 1973, 1982 and 1991 covering 8938, 10700, and 7400 examinees aged 7 to 19 respectively. In all three observed generations boys and girls belonging to social group I (nonmanual workers' families) were taller than their peers in group III (manual workers' families). Differences were most pronounced in 1973. Mean height of children from 'mixed' families (class II) were mostly between two other groups. Positive secular changes in both genders were most pronounced in children belonging to manual workers' families--girls observed in 1991 being 2-4cm and boys 2-6cm taller than their peers in 1973. In children from nonmanual workers' families the secular increase was small in younger age groups--in boys up to 11 hardly noticeable, while in both genders from the age of 13 on, the mean height increase reached or even surpassed that observed in manual workers' children. Positive changes in all observed groups were more pronounced in the period 1973-1982 than in 1982-1991. Mean weight changes, in general over period 1973-1991 corresponded to changes in height. However, the average weight gain in girls in class I was somewhat lower compared to the gain in height, particularly in older age groups. In the same period, 19731991 the mean menarcheal age in girls showed the reversed trend i.e. a shift towards the older age. In class I the reversal was noticed in the first period, parallel to intensive height increase, while in class III positive changes in height were accompanied by significant lowering of menarcheal age. In this group the reversal was observed in the second period 1982-1991.

Secular trend in the development of fatness during childhood and adolescence

“…It had been thought that in industrialized nations the trend for increased size and earlier maturation of children had stopped or slowed down considerably, possibly due to a moderation of social, medical, and economic changes (Hauspie et al, 1996(Hauspie et al, , 1997Eveleth et al, 1979;Lhotska et al, 1994;Prebeg et al, 1995;Prebeg, 1998). The present results are in accord with Herman-Giddens et al (1997), who suggested that earlier puberty continues to be a real phenomenon.…”

Are inequalities in height narrowing? Comparing effects of social class on height in two generations

“…Thus, inequalities in childhood height are of particular interest. Evidence to date suggests that social inequalities in childhood height may have reduced in magnitude in recent decades, [19][20][21][22] although they still exist in several countries. 20 [23][24][25] In order to establish whether inequalities in height have reduced in recent years, we compare height inequalities in two generations during a period of secular increase.…”

Secular Trends in Growth of Preschool Children from Rural Maharashtra, India

“…This is probably because, in many European countries, secular trend has started much earlier and are coming close to a halt while India is only recently progressing. The comparison of decadal changes reported in different countries/populations, thus, becomes difficult as it is known to vary due to numerous factors such as time (21), age, race (22), region (23), social class (24), and parents’ education (25). …”