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Environmental factors influencing growth and pubertal development

H A Delemarre-van de Waal1

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Free University Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Environmental Health Perspectives
|July 1, 1993
PubMed

Insights

Child growth depends on genetics and environment. Factors like nutrition, socioeconomic status, and urbanization significantly impact a child

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Human Growth and Development
  • Environmental Health

Background:

  • Postnatal growth is a complex interplay of hereditary signals and environmental influences.
  • Fetal conditions, such as intrauterine growth retardation, can impact long-term height outcomes.
  • Environmental factors, including malnutrition and socioeconomic status, play a critical role in child development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To detail the hereditary and environmental factors influencing human growth and pubertal development.
  • To explore the impact of fetal conditions on postnatal growth trajectories.
  • To analyze the role of socioeconomic status and urbanization on child stature and development.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on human growth factors.
  • Analysis of hereditary and environmental influences on child development.
  • Examination of the 'secular trend' in growth patterns across different regions.

Main Results:

  • Malnutrition significantly inhibits growth in underdeveloped regions.
  • Higher socioeconomic status correlates with increased child height.
  • Urbanization generally promotes better growth, but exceptions exist in impoverished urban areas.
  • The 'secular trend' of increased stature and earlier maturity is observed globally, with recent reports from developing countries.

Conclusions:

  • Optimal child growth requires a balance of genetic predisposition and favorable environmental conditions.
  • Environmental interventions, particularly in nutrition and healthcare, are crucial for improving child growth outcomes.
  • Understanding these factors is essential for addressing growth disparities and promoting healthy development worldwide.

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