[Characteristics of Voronezh schoolchildren physical development and nutrition behavior]

Physical development and nutrition behavior of schoolchildren in Voronezh depending on their age were studied. Research included 484 children aged 8-17: 236 (48.8%) girls and 248 (51.2%) boys. The children were divided into 3 groups: aged 8-10 (174 children), 11-14 (196 children) and 15-18 (114 children). The children were interviewed, their height and weight were measured and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Questionnaire was focused on milk intake and hot meals received at school, frequency of meals per day and frequency of breakfast. Z-score values for height and weight for certain age (HAZ & WAZ) and BMI (BAZ) were calculated using WHO ANTHRO Plus program. HAZ values from -2 to +2 and BAZ from -1 to +1 were ranked as age norms. BAZ from -1 to -2 were considered slight malnutrition, BAZ less -2 - malnutrition, BAZ from +1 to +2 as overweight, BAZ equal and over +2 as obesity. Average Z-score height, weight and BMI values were higher than WHO standards, maximal differences in boys aged 8-10, minimal in teenagers aged 15-18 (p=0.042). Z-score height values in girls aged 8-10 were 0.43±1.02, in boys - 0.74±0.99 (р=0.000), in girls aged 11-14 - 0.29±0.99 and boys 0.39±1.06, aged 15-18 - 0.13±0.68 and 0.13±1.00 respectively. Children aged 8-10 had higher height and weight, but also higher BMI (0.36±1.13 in girls and 0.96±1.44 in boys, р=0.000). Z-score BMI in schoolchildren aged 11-14 was 0.12±1.27 in girls and 0.19±1.37 in boys, aged 15-18 - 0.25±1.17 and 0.09±1.07 respectively. Overweight frequency in children aged 8-10 was 23.0% (in boys - 26.1%), obesity - 15.5% (in boys 21.6%). Growing older, overweight and obesity frequency decreased (till 12.3 and 4.4% at age 15-18), whereas malnutrition increased (from 9.8 at age 8-10 till 18.9 at age 11-14 and 17.5% at age 15-18). Half of the schoolchildren had 4-5 meals per day (75.3% at age 8-10), and 19.6% - 2 meals per day (37.2% at age 11-14). Teenagers aged 15-18 had 3 meals per day in 61.4% cases, however frequency of their breakfasts decreased (82.5 compared to 91.4% in children aged 8-10). 68.9% of children aged 8-10 had regular meals at school canteens compared to 29.8% of teenagers. Less than 50% of children (41.9%) drank milk at school regularly. Preventive measures should be taken for children aged 8-10, especially boys, to prevent overweight and obesity increase, and girls aged 11-14 and 15-18 should be paid special attention to prevent malnutrition.