Trends in growth and developmental tempo in boys aged 7 to 18years between 1966 and 2012 in Poland

• Published in: American journal of human biology Vol. 33; no. 6
• Main Authors: Gomula, Aleksandra, Natalia Nowak‐Szczepanska, Hermanussen, Michael, Scheffler, Christiane, Koziel, Slawomir
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.11.2021
• Subjects: Acceleration; Adolescents; Age; Body height; Child development; Children; Health promotion; Living conditions; Polls & surveys; Public health; Trends; Poland
• ISSN: 1042-0533; 1520-6300
• DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23548

ObjectivesTo assess trends in growth in different developmental periods and trends in developmental tempo in Polish boys between 1966 and 2012.MethodsData on 34 828 boys aged 7 to 18 years were collected during Polish Anthropological Surveys conducted in 1966, 1978, 1988, and 2012. Biological parameters, related to onset of adolescent growth spurt (OGS) and peak height velocity (PHV), were derived from a Preece‐Baines 1 model (PB1). Childhood (height at 7 years of age), pre‐adolescent (height at OGS) and adolescent growth (adult height minus height at OGS) were identified.ResultsPositive secular trend between 1966 and 2012 in adult height accounted for, on average, 1.5 cm/decade, with varying intensity between the Surveys. Decline in both age at OGS and APHV between 1966 and 2012 (1.5 and 1.4 years, respectively) indicated an acceleration in developmental tempo, on average, by 0.3 year/decade. Increases in the contribution to the trend in adult height gained during growth in particular developmental periods between 1966 and 2012 were as followed—childhood: 0.6%, pre‐adolescent growth: −3.1%, adolescent growth: 3.1%.ConclusionsSecular trend in developmental tempo and growth among boys reflects changes in living conditions and socio‐political aspirations in Poland during nearly 50 years. Acceleration in tempo is already visible at age at OGS, whereas the trend in adult height occurs largely during adolescence, pointing to different regulation of developmental tempo and growth in body height. This finding emphasizes the importance of extending public health intervention into children's growth up until adolescence.