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Updated: Mar 14, 2026

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
[PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN IN ORPHANAGES]
Ph Kalatozishvili1, N Davituliani1, H Phagava1
1Clinic "Beaumond", Kutaisi; Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia; Tbilisi State Medical University; Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University, Georgia.
Insights
Children in orphanages show delayed physical development, particularly in height, compared to national standards. This highlights the negative impact of institutional upbringing on child growth.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Child Development
- Public Health
Background:
- Institutional upbringing can impact child development.
- Assessing physical development parameters is crucial for early intervention.
- Orphanage environments may present unique challenges to growth.
Purpose of the Study:
- To define physical development parameters in orphanage children.
- To compare the physical development of orphanage children with national data.
- To identify potential negative impacts of institutionalization on growth.
Main Methods:
- Assessed 72 children (1-6 years) from Georgian orphanages.
- Measured height and weight.
- Calculated Body Mass Index (BMI) and standard deviation scores (SDS) for height and weight.
Main Results:
- Children exhibited retarded physical development across most parameters.
- No significant age or gender differences were found in developmental delays.
- Boys aged 3-5 years showed the most pronounced height deficits.
Conclusions:
- Institutional upbringing negatively affects the physical development of children aged 1-6.
- Healthy children in orphanages tend to lag in physical growth, especially height.
- Findings support the detrimental effect of orphanage environments on child growth.
Abstract:
Aim - to define the parameters of physical development of children in orphanages. 72 children (45 boys, 27 girls) without chronic debilitating diseases and condition aged from 1 to 6 years from Tbilisi and Makhinjauri orphanages (Georgia) were assessed. Height and weight of all subjects were measured and BMI, height SDS (standard deviation score) and weight SDS were calculated. Data were compared to the normal values (national data). The retardation of the physical development were seen along almost all findings. The significant differences regarding age and gender were not revealed. The most expressed tendency to delay was expressed in the height of boys, particularly aged 3-5 years. Our data confirm that institution upbringing has a negative impact on the growth of children of 1-6 years of age. In children aged from 1 to 6 years who are healthy but live in orphanages there is a marked tendency to lag behind in physical development, mainly in height. The above-mentioned confirms the opinion about negative impact of upbringing in orphanages on the physical development of children.
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