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Updated: Aug 10, 2026
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Anthropometric and nutritional evaluation of short statured children from low socio-economic class
B Büyükgebiz1, Y Eroğlu, A Büyükgebiz
1Department of Pediatric Nutrition, Metabolism and Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey.
Insights
Short statured children often show signs of chronic malnutrition. Many growth hormone deficient children also exhibit anthropometric indicators of nutritional deficiency.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric endocrinology
- Human nutrition
- Growth and development
Background:
- Short stature in children is a common clinical observation.
- Anthropometric parameters are crucial for assessing child growth and nutritional status.
- Nutritional deprivation is a significant public health concern in many regions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the anthropometric parameters of short-statured children.
- To determine the prevalence of malnutrition (wasting and stunting) in this cohort.
- To investigate the relationship between anthropometric indices and conditions like growth hormone deficiency.
Main Methods:
- Evaluation of 367 short-statured children in an outpatient setting.
- Measurement of body weight for age, weight for height, height for age, and body mass index.
- Assessment of wasting and stunting using Waterlow's criteria.
Main Results:
- 27.8% of children were classified as wasted and stunted; 59.1% were stunted.
- 3.8% had constitutional delay of growth, and 9.3% had growth hormone deficiency.
- 97% of growth hormone deficient children showed both weight and height deficiencies.
Conclusions:
- Most short-statured children exhibit anthropometric signs consistent with chronic nutritional deficiency.
- Growth hormone deficiency in this population often co-exists with indicators of malnutrition.
- Findings highlight the impact of nutritional deprivation on growth in the studied region.
Abstract:
The objective of this study was to evaluate the anthropometric parameters of short statured children examined in our outpatient clinic. 367 children were evaluated. Body weight for age, weight for height, height for age and body mass index of subjects were expressed as percent of standards. Wasting and stunting were established according to Waterlow's criteria /4/. Of 367 children, 27.8% were wasted and stunted; 59.1% were stunted; 3.8% had constitutional delay of growth and 9.3% had growth hormone deficiency. Ninety-seven percent of growth hormone deficient children had deficiency in weight as well as height. This study indicates that most short statured children and some growth hormone deficient children present with anthropometric indices of chronic nutritional deficiency in a country where nutritional deprivation is frequent.
