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Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
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Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Published on: February 2, 2017

Secular trends of sizes at birth in Russian infants born between 1987 and 2002

Anna Tretyak1, Elena Godina, Ludmila Zadorozhnaya

  • 1Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia. ania_83@mail.ru

Journal of Physiological Anthropology and Applied Human Science
|August 5, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Newborn body dimensions changed between 1987 and 2002. While infants in Moscow and Saratov grew larger, those in Khvalynsk showed decreased length and weight, possibly due to socio-economic factors.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Anthropology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Secular trends in human growth are influenced by environmental factors.
  • Understanding changes in newborn anthropometry is crucial for assessing population health.
  • Previous studies have indicated geographical variations in infant growth patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze secular changes in body dimensions of newborns from distinct geographical locations.
  • To compare anthropometric data between 1987 and 2002 across urban and rural settings.
  • To investigate potential links between socio-economic changes and newborn body size.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of anthropometrical data from medical records.
  • Inclusion of 1,174 singleton, full-term, non-pathological newborns.
  • Comparison of body length and weight at birth between two time points (1987 and 2002).

Main Results:

  • Infant body length and weight increased in Moscow and Saratov from 1987 to 2002.
  • A significant decrease in body length was observed for boys in Khvalynsk.
  • A trend towards decreased body weight was noted for both boys and girls in Khvalynsk.

Conclusions:

  • Secular changes in newborn body dimensions exhibit geographical heterogeneity.
  • Socio-economic factors may play a significant role in observed trends of infant growth.
  • Further research is needed to elucidate the specific mechanisms driving these anthropometric shifts.

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