The association between nutritional conditions during World War II and childhood anthropometric variables in the Nordic countries

Abstract

Summary. Background: The purpose of the study was to examine the height and weight in Nordic children during the years around World War II (WWII), and compare them with the nutritional situation during the same period. Methods: Information on food consumption and energy intake were obtained from the literature. Anthropometric data were collected from the Nordic capitals and cover the period from 1930 to 1960 for ages 7-13 years. Results: The greatest energy restriction took place in Norway (20%), followed by Finland (17%), while Sweden and Denmark had a restriction of 4-7% compared to pre-war levels. The most pronounced effect of WWII on height and weight is seen in Norwegian children, while some effect is observed for the youngest children in Finland. Little or no effect is seen in Sweden and Denmark. Conclusion: The Nordic children were affected by WWII in terms of a transient reduction in temporal trends in height and weight, and the magnitude of this decrease was associated with the severity of the energy restriction prevailing in the respective country during the war. These findings warrant further studies of the chronic diseases associated with height and weight for cohorts being in their growth periods during WWII.

Early life events and later risk of colorectal cancer: age-period-cohort modelling in the Nordic countries and Estonia

“…An unexpected finding was the lack of birth cohort effect on colorectal cancer risk in Finland, given its estimated 17% decrease in energy intake during WWII [14]. The Finnish people have a different genetic background than the other Nordic countries, but share common ancestors with the Baltic states [26].…”

“…The energy restriction in Estonia related to the war [15] is assumed to be comparable to that in Norway. The energy restriction during WWII was sufficient to affect anthropometric variables in the Nordic countries, and the magnitude of the decrease in height and weight was associated with the severity of the energy restriction prevailing in the respective country during the war [14]. Accordingly, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of the early life events later risk of colorectal cancer in the Nordic countries and Estonia, focusing on the effect of WWII.…”

“…The other Nordic countries experienced various degrees of caloric restriction during WWII, ranging from 4% in Sweden to 17% in Finland [14]. The energy restriction in Estonia related to the war [15] is assumed to be comparable to that in Norway.…”

Cancer mortality in women and men who survived the siege of Leningrad (1941–1944)

“…33 While investigations of the effects of war on childhood growth have indicated growth delays in children in Norway 34 and other Nordic countries, 35 the resulting effect on adult stature is not known. Interestingly, stronger associations of adult height with breast cancer in Norwegian women born 36 or experiencing puberty 37 during the war were interpreted as an indication of the importance of nutritional conditions during these periods of growth.…”

Conditions in utero and cancer risk

“…23 On the other hand, one cannot exclude an association between TC risk and reduced intake of harmful nutritional components or vice versa during WWII. 24 Maternal smoking during pregnancy has been proposed as a causal factor for TC in the offspring. 25 The daily consumption of tobacco decreased during the war 26 and thus compatible with a reduced risk in the offspring in this period.…”