Secular trends in height and weight among children and adolescents of the Seychelles, 1956-2006.

Details

Ressource 1Download: BIB_D472479B0EFD.P001.pdf (342.45 [Ko])
State: Public
Version: Final published version
Serval ID
serval:BIB_D472479B0EFD
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Secular trends in height and weight among children and adolescents of the Seychelles, 1956-2006.
Journal
BMC public health
Author(s)
Marques-Vidal P., Madeleine G., Romain S., Gabriel A., Bovet P.
ISSN
1471-2458 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
1471-2458
Publication state
Published
Issued date
19/05/2008
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
8
Pages
166
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Publication Status: epublish
Abstract
Height of individuals has long been considered as a significant index of nutrition and health of a population; still, there is little information regarding the trends of height and weight among developing or transitional countries. We assessed the secular trends in height and weight in children of the Seychelles, a rapidly developing island state in the Indian Ocean (African region).
Height and weight were measured in all students of all schools in four selected school grades (kindergarten, 4th, 7th and 10th grades) for the periods 1998-9 (6391 children) and 2005-6 (8582 children). Data for 1956-7 was extracted from a previously published report.
At age 15.5 years, boys/girls were on average 10/13 cm taller and 15/9 kg heavier in 2005-6 than in 1956-7. Height increased in boys/girls by 1.62/0.93 cm/decade between 1956-7 and 1998-9 and by 1.14/1.82 cm/decade between 1998-9 and 2005-6. For weight, the linear increase in boys/girls was 1.38/1.10 kg/decade between 1956-7 and 1998-9 and 2.21/2.50 kg/decade between 1998-9 and 2005-6. Overall, the relative increase in weight between 1956-7 and 2005-6 was 5-fold higher than the relative increase in height.
Height and weight increased markedly over time in children aged <16 years in the Seychelles, consistent with large changes in socio-economic and nutritional indicators in the considered 50-year interval. The markedly steeper increase in weight than height over time is consistent with an epidemic of overweight and obesity.

Keywords
Adolescent, Adult, Body Height, Body Weight, Child, Child Development, Female, Health Surveys, Humans, Linear Models, Male, Reference Values, Sampling Studies, Sex Characteristics, Seychelles, Socioeconomic Factors
Pubmed
Web of science
Open Access
Yes
Create date
29/01/2009 22:13
Last modification date
20/08/2019 15:54
Usage data