Physical development of girls from Krakow in the aspect of socioeconomical changes in Poland (1938–2010)

Abstract

Objectives: This survey aimed at analyzing secular changes in the development of girls from Krakow, in the first decade of the 21st century, against the background of transformations observed in the previous century. Methods: The data collected during a survey conducted in Krakow in 2010, in which the measurements of a total of 1,974 girls aged 3.5–18.5 years were taken, made a basis for this study. The results from the contemporary series were compared with previous surveys conducted in 1938, 1971, 1983, and 2000. The analysis of the survey made use of the results of body height and weight measurements, BMI, and the menarche, thelarche, and pubarche onsets determining the level of pubertal development. The development of secondary sex characters was assessed utilizing the criteria 5‐stage scale established by Tanner. The mean age of the menarche onset and ages at beginning breast (B2) and pubic hair (PH2) development were calculated by means of the probit method. Results: In the physical development of girls a positive trend in body height changes in prepubescence and adolescence was still observed. The acceleration of body weight development in peripubescence is expressed by increased BMI. It is spectacular that body build gets slimmer at the age of 17 and 18, which is probably connected with conscious control of body weight, and pubertal acceleration is also maintained. Conclusions: Still observed trends in morphological factors and pubertal acceleration require further monitoring out of concern for the health and proper development of children and adolescents. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Intergenerational changes in limb circumferences in children and adolescents aged 3‐18 from Kraków (Poland) from 1983 to 2010

“…The positive intergenerational changes observed in our study concerned mainly children of early school age and adolescents, which can be attributed to the accelerated maturation in the Kraków population reported in previous studies (Kryst et al, ; Woronkowicz, Cichocka, Kowal, Kryst & Sobiecki, ). In the girls' population from 2010, there was an acceleration of weight gain in the peri‐pubertal period (Woronkowicz et al, ). Similarly, in boys from the Kraków population examined in 2010, especially those over 12 years of age, a significant increase in body weight accompanied the acceleration of sexual maturation (Kryst et al, ).…”

Long‐term changes in BMI and adiposity rebound among girls from Kraków (Poland) over the last 30 years (from 1983 to 2010)

“…They were taller and heavier at most ages, and their growth rate was progressively more advanced. In Kraków, the age of menarche in the analyzed period 1983–2010 accelerated significantly by over 5 months (Woronkowicz et al, ). Unfortunately, the high pace of growing tall in the initial phase of life is also connected with a greater risk of diseases of civilization (obesity, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes) (Adair ; Guilloteau et al, ; Rolland‐Cachera, ).…”

The monthly rhythm of incidence and age at menarche: thirty five years of research: The circa-vacation-study expectancy rhythm of incidence and age at menarche

“…We confi rm our proposition that this is not a seasonal circa-annual rhythm, but a circa-[vacation (fi esta)]-[study (non-fi esta)] expectancies rhythm that is a systematic periodicity repeated year after year, caused by socio-cultural events with deep signifi cance for girls. The decay of the age at menarche from 5.5 to 8.4 months between December and February, in the four samples (and in the sample from USA, but without published values) is an extraordinary biotic process; this decay shows that the cultural-expectancy of important events for girls is a factor comparable to deep under nutrition (Leenstra et al, 2005), highly competitive physical training (Vadocz et al, 2002) or near 50 years in the secular trend of menarche age (Nakamura et al, 1986;Vecek et al, 2012;Woronkowicz et al 2012).…”