Is prepubertal growth adversely affected by sport?

Area of Science:

• Pediatric endocrinology
• Sports medicine
• Human growth and development

Background:

• Competitive sports participation is increasing among children.
• Understanding factors influencing growth in young athletes is crucial for monitoring development.
• Genetic and early life factors are known determinants of childhood stature and BMI.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of genetic factors, birth weight, early childhood growth, sport type, training volume, and pubertal status on stature and BMI in 9-13-year-old competitive athletes.
• To determine if intensive training affects growth parameters in young athletes.
• To explore the relationship between constitutional factors and athletic performance indicators.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 184 children (96 girls, 88 boys) aged 9-13 years, participating in swimming, tennis, team handball, and gymnastics, were assessed.
• Data collected included current height, weight, pubertal status, and body mass index (BMI).
• A subset of 137 children provided retrospective data on birth weight, parental heights, and height/BMI at ages 2-4 years via questionnaire.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in height and BMI standard deviation scores (SDS) were observed between sports in both sexes.
• Early childhood height (age 2-4) and pubertal status significantly impacted final stature.
• Neither sport type nor weekly training hours affected height SDS, suggesting growth is not hindered by training.
• Early childhood BMI and pubertal status were significant predictors of final BMI, with variations between sexes.

Conclusions:

• Competitive sports participation does not appear to adversely affect prepubertal growth in children.
• Constitutional factors, including genetics and early growth patterns, play a significant role in determining a child's stature and BMI.
• These findings suggest that children's inherent characteristics may influence their selection into specific sports.