ANTHROPOMETRIC INDICATORS OF GROWTH AND NUTRITIONAL STATUS IN THREE -YEAR-OLD MACEDONIAN CHILDREN

Biljana Trpkovska; Biljana Zafirova; Niki Matveeva; Biljana Bojadzieva Stojanoska; Elizabeta Chadikovska; Jovana Kordoska; Anamarija Paunkoska; Viktorija Jovanovska; Julija Telenta; Elena Georgieva

Biljana Trpkovska Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, North Macedonia
Biljana Zafirova Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, North Macedonia
Niki Matveeva Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, North Macedonia
Biljana Bojadzieva Stojanoska Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, North Macedonia
Elizabeta Chadikovska Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, North Macedonia
Jovana Kordoska Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, North Macedonia
Anamarija Paunkoska Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, North Macedonia
Viktorija Jovanovska Specialized Hospital for Gynaecology and Obstetrics "Mother Teresa" Skopje, Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, North Macedonia
Julija Telenta Clinic for Dermatovenerology Skopje, Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, North Macedonia
Elena Georgieva Resident et University clinic of pharmacology with toxicology, Skopje, North Macedonia

Abstract

Growth monitoring and promotion of optional growth are essential components of primary health care for children. Serial measurements of weight, height/length, for all children, and measurements of circular and transversal parameters compared with growth of a large sample population help to confirm a child’s healthy growth and development. It also allows early identification of potential nutritional or health problems and enables prompt action before a child’s health is seriously compromised. The aim of the study is evaluation of sex-specific differences in anthropometrical parameters as indicators of growth. The study included 200 healthy 3 years old preschool children from Macedonian nationality. Thirteen anthropometric parameters were measured, defining longitudinal, circular and transversal dimensionality of the skeleton using standard technique and instruments for measurement. The following indices were selected and calculated: weight-for –age; height-for-age and BMI. Skin –folds (triceps, scapula and thigh) were also measured. Sex-specific differences for almost all anthropometric parameters were detected, but they were not significant. Girls showed higher values than boys regarding height, weight but for BMI were significant in boys. Values at the 50^th percentile in girls were 16.8 kg for BW, 102 cm for BH and 16.5 kg/m². The values of these parameters in boys were 18 kg for BW, 96.93 cm for BH and 17.5 for kg/m² for BMI. The values for skin fold for triceps were higher in girls (13.1 ± 3.5) instead of boys (12.2 ± 3.3). The results obtained can be used for criteria for assessment and detecting deviations in growth and nutritional status in preschool children.

Keywords: anthropometry, growth, nutritional status, preschool children.

References

1. Martorell R, ML Hughes and Grummer-Strawn LM. Overweight and obesity in preschool children from developing countries. International Journal of Obesity 2000; 24: 959-967.
2. Fomon SJ, Haschke F, Ziegler EE. Body composition of reference children from birth to age 10 years. Am J Clin Nutr 1982; 35:1169-75.
3. Dimitrovska Z, Kendrovski V, Ristovska G at el. Nutritional Anthropometry 2nd ed. Skopje: Republic Institute of Health Protection; 2006.
4. Mercedes de Onis, Habicht JP. Anthropometric reference data for international use: recommendation from a WHO Expert Committee. Am J Clin Nutr 1996; 64(4): 650-8.
5. World Health organization; Obesity preventing and managing the global epidemic; Report of WHO Consultation on Obesity, Geneva 1998.
6. Tremblay M, Willms J. Secular trends in the body mass index of Canadian children. CMAJ 200; 163(11); 1429-33.
7. Cole T, Bellizi M, Flegal K, Dietz W. Establishing a standard definition for child overweight and obesity worldwide; National Survey, BMJ 2000; 320; 1240-3.
8. Peinado Doris Maritza, Bedrinana Jorge Isaac. Comparison of NCHS -1977, CDC-2000 and WHO-2006 Nutritional Classification in 32 to 60 month-old children in the central highlands of Peru (1992-2007). Universal J of Public Health 2013; 3:143-149.
9. M Flegal Katherine, Carrol D Margaret, Ogden L Cynthia. Effects of trimming weight-for-height data on growth chart percentiles. Am J Clin Nutr 2012; 96: 1051-5.
10. Rong Wei, Katherine Flegal and Cynthia Ogden. Weight-for-stature compared with body mass index-for-age growth charts for the USA from CDC and prevention. Am J Clin Nutr 2002; 75:761-766.
11. Cole TJ, JV Freeman, Preece MA. Body mass index reference curves for the UK, 1990. Archives of Disease in Childhood 1995; 73: 25-29.
12. De Onis M, Blossner M. Prevalence and overweight among preschool children in developing countries. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000; 72(4): 1032-9.
13. Child Growth Charts in the Northern Territory, Discussion Paper, Consideration of the 2006 WHO growth standards. www.nt.gov.au/health.
14. Assessment of growth: variations according to references and growth parameters used. Rolland Cachera Marie –Francoise,Peneau Sandrine. The American Journam of clinical nutrition; 2011;1974-1798.
15. Rush E. Obolonkin V. Savila F. Growth Centiles of pacific children living in New Zealand. Annals of human biology, 2013; 1-7.
16. World Health Organization, Child Growth Standards, Geneva: WHO; 2007. Available from: http;//www.who.int/childgrowth/en/.
17. Trpkovska B, Zafirova B, Matveeva N, Cadikovska E, Bojadzieva B, Kordovska J, Klisarova V, Antova E, Hristova Dimceva A, Krstev T, The impact of nutritional status on growth and anthropometric parameters in children, JMS 2024; Vol 7(3): 149:155.
18. Stojanoska Bojadzieva B, Matveeva N, B Zafirova B, Chadikovska E, Trpkovska B, Kordoska J, Angelovska I, Sava Pejkovska S, Kavecan I, Dimcheva A, Antova E, Ethnic differences in nutritional status in adolescents from Republic of North Macedonia, JMS 2024; Vol 7(2): 80:85.
19. Ivana Almeida Serpa1 , Kati Luzaine Bardim Costa2 and Adriana Barni Truccolo3Anthropometric indicators of the nutritional status of children in early childhood educationhttps://doi.org/10.56238/sevened2024.014-007
20. Lurie, L. A., Hagen, M. P., McLaughlin, K. A., Sheridan, M. A., Meltzoff, A. N., & Rosen, M. L. (2021). Mechanisms linking socioeconomic status and academic achievement in early childhood: Cognitive stimulation and language. *Cognitive Development, 58*, 101045. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogdev.2021.101045. Acesso em: 4 de maio de 2024.
21. De Onis M, Garza C et al. Comparison of the WHO child growth standards and the CDC 2000 growth charts. The J. Nutrition 2007; 137:144-148.
22. Maalouf- Manasseh Z. et al. Obesity in preschool children is more prevalent and identified at a younger age when WHO growth charts are used compared with CDC charts. The J Nutrition 2013; 1154-58.