Anthropometry, nutrition status and thymic size of Gypsy newborns from southwestern Slovakia

Gypsy population represents a specific minority in Slovakia that differs from the majority population by its origin and genetic markers, as well as by generally lower social and economic status and lower hygienic standards of living. The aim of the present work is the analysis of anthropometric dimensions and indexes, as well as of thymus size, in the group of Gypsy and non-Gypsy newborns from the Southern Slovakia. Our group of 212 physiological newborns consisted of 33 Gypsy and 179 non-Gypsy newborns. All newborns were underwent anthropometric examination and their thymus size was assessed by ultrasonography and calculated as so-called Thymic Index". Gypsy newborns show statistically significant lower anthropometric dimensions (birth weight and birth body length, head and chest circumference) when compared to non-Gypsy newborns, however, they do not differ in the values of nutritional status indicators (arm circumference, Quételet index and Rohrer index). They do not differ even in the thymus size that can be regarded as a "barometer" of the nutrition and of some negative stimuli. In spite of generally deficient nutrition and lower health status of the Gypsy minority in Slovakia, we did not find any significant differences in the indicators of nutritional status or in thymus size (Tab. 2, Ref. 34).