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Secular Trends in Height, Body Mass and Mean Menarche Age in Romanian Children and Adolescents, 1936–2016

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  • Raluca-Monica Pop

    (Department of Endocrinology, Mures County Hospital, 540139 Târgu Mureș, Romania
    Research Methodology Department, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mureș, 38 Gheorghe Marinescu Street, 540139 Târgu Mureș, Romania)

  • Arava Tenenboum

    (General Medicine, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mureș, 38 Gheorghe Marinescu Street, 540139 Târgu Mureș, Romania)

  • Marian Pop

    (Informatics and Biostatistics Department, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mureș, 38 Gheorghe Marinescu Street, 540139 Târgu Mureș, Romania)

Abstract

Secular trends in anthropometric parameters have been documented in most European countries, but no data is available regarding Romanian. The aim of the study was to calculate secular trend in height, body mass and mean menarche age for Romanian children and adolescents. Methods: A secondary data analysis was performed using ten data sets for urban and eight data sets for rural boys and girls, age 5–15 years, covering 80 years (1936 to 2016). Secular trend in height (cm/decade), body mass(kg/decade) and mean menarche age (years) were calculated. Results: Overall, there was a positive secular trend for height in both genders, which parallels the gross domestic product (GDP)/capita difference, more pronounced in boys, across all age-groups, with a maximum for 15 years-old boys (~3 cm/decade) and 13 years-old girls (~2 cm/decade). Body mass trend was also positive, more accentuated in the rural population. Mean age at menarche was higher in rural compared to urban girls, had a negative trend with the disappearance of the difference in the latest available data set (2013). Conclusion: In summary, an overall positive and ongoing secular trend in height and body mass was documented in Romanian children and adolescents, especially for the pubertal age-range, in concordance to other western countries, but out of phase by approximately 20 years.

Suggested Citation

  • Raluca-Monica Pop & Arava Tenenboum & Marian Pop, 2021. "Secular Trends in Height, Body Mass and Mean Menarche Age in Romanian Children and Adolescents, 1936–2016," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-11, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:2:p:490-:d:477454
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Vignerova, J. & Brabec, M. & Blaha, P., 2006. "Two centuries of growth among Czech children and youth," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 4(2), pages 237-252, June.
    2. Kristin Harper & George Armelagos, 2010. "The Changing Disease-Scape in the Third Epidemiological Transition," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 7(2), pages 1-23, February.
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