Naslov
A six decades long follow-up on body size in adolescents from Zagreb, Croatia (1951-2010)

Autori
Zajc Petranović, Matea ; Tomas, Željka ; Smolej Narančić, Nina ; Škarić-Jurić, Tatjana ; Veček, Andrea ; Miličić, Jasna

Izvornik
Economics & human biology (1570-677X) 13 (2014); 155-164

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
body mass index; height; weight; secular trend; gross domestic product

Sažetak
Most studies analyzing the influence of socioeconomic deterioration on body size focus on the impact of food shortages and diseases on the growth in early childhood. To evaluate how socioeconomic conditions influence the growth during the adolescence, we tracked the body size of 15-19 year-olds over the last sixty years covering the socialist period (1951-1990), the war (1991-1995) and the transition to capitalistic economy. This study of Zagreb, Croatia, adolescent population provides information on the secular trend in height, weight and body mass index (BMI) and examines their relation with Real Gross Domestic Product. From 1951 to 2010 the girls` height approximately increased by 6.2 cm and weight by 6.8 kg, while the boys` height increased by 12.2 cm and weight by 17.3 kg. Prior to 1991 mean BMI in girls was higher than in boys, but from 1991 on, the interrelation between the sexes has been opposite, possibly mirroring the cultural trends that started in mid-1970s and reflecting higher sensitivity of boys to the socioeconomic changes. In conclusion, the secular trend in body size over the investigated period reflects the positive economic trends interrupted by the war. The recent increase in BMI corresponds to the country’s economic recovery and indicates the “nutrition transition”.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Javno zdravstvo i zdravstvena zaštita, Demografija, Etnologija i antropologija

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