Lung function in Estonian children: effect of sitting height

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Pulmonology
• Anthropometry
• Growth and Development

Background:

• Lung function assessment is crucial for monitoring child respiratory health.
• Standard anthropometric measures like standing height are commonly used in lung function prediction.
• The role of sitting height in relation to lung function in children requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the relationship between lung function variables and anthropometric indices, specifically standing and sitting height, in healthy Estonian schoolchildren.
• To determine if sitting height offers a more accurate predictor of lung function than standing height.
• To evaluate the impact of incorporating sitting height into predictive models for lung function.

Main Methods:

• A population study involving 645 healthy schoolchildren aged 6-18 years.
• Measurement of lung function parameters: forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), peak expiratory flow, and forced expiratory flows.
• Collection of anthropometric data including standing height and sitting height.

Main Results:

• Lung function growth spurts coincided with height growth spurts (girls: 11-13 years; boys: 13-15 years).
• Strong correlations (r=0.89-0.94) were observed between FVC, FEV1, and anthropometric parameters/age.
• Sitting height showed stronger correlations with lung function variables in boys compared to standing height.
• Stepwise regression analysis indicated sitting height was a significant predictor for all lung function parameters in boys, but not in girls.

Conclusions:

• There is a very close correlation between sitting height and lung function variables in schoolchildren.
• Utilizing sitting height alongside standing height in predictive equations for Estonian schoolchildren can enhance prediction accuracy.
• Sitting height may be a valuable anthropometric parameter for assessing lung function development in pediatric populations.