Secular changes in body dimensions of 10-18 year-old Hungarian girls

• Published in: Journal of sports sciences 2009-01, Vol.27, p.S31
• Main Authors: Uvacsek, Martina, Mészáros, J, Van Praagh, E
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Children & youth; Childrens health; Exercise; Lifestyles; Metabolism; Obesity; Risk factors
• ISSN: 0264-0414; 1466-447X

The health, social and economical status of a population can be described by means of observed changes in growth and development. According to Malina and Bouchard (1991: Growth maturation and physical activity. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Books), regular physical activity is one of the most important environmental conditions of harmonious development in children. Unfortunately, the quantity of physical activity is continuously decreasing even in the highly-developed, well-fare societies (Laki & Nyerges, 2000: Kalokagathia 75th Anniversary Special Issue: 24 - 35; Bar Or, 2003: Sport Science Exchange 16:1 - 6). Nowadays, a sedentary life-style is considered as global evidence. The prevalence of obesity increased in Hungary in the last 20 years in harmony with social and economic changes, and with the increase of hypoactivity in pre-pubertal and pubertal children (Frenkl & Meszaros, 2002: Hippocrates 4:294 - 297). In the present study, we assessed the constitution and body composition of 10- to 18-year-old girls living in the Budapest area. We also analysed differences in anthropometric data of girls investigated in 1983 and in 2003. The number of participating girls in the nine age groups was n = 4794. Standard anthropometric methods were used (Weiner & Lourie, 1969: Human biology: A guide to field methods. IBP handbook. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publishers). Body fat content was estimated according to Parizkova (1961: Metabolism 10:794 - 807). Significant differences were found in body height and body mass. The girls were generally taller and heavier during the second investigation. The latter also showed that the significantly taller stature was not accompanied by wider bone diameters. Such a general effect could be related to a lack of physical activity, after all the linear connection between bone density and regular physical activity has been proved (Malina & Bouchard, 1991). Average high body fat content and the high standard deviations explain the great prevalence of overweight and obesity in this population. High subcutaneous trunk fat could be an important risk factor in the metabolic X syndrome and cardiovascular diseases. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]