Relationship between lower-extremity defects and body mass among polish children: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Lower extremity defects in healthy children raises interest of researchers as confirmed by numerous published original and review articles. The relationship between lower extremity postural defects and body mass are unclear as published data are inconclusive. The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to analyse the prevalence of lower extremity defects in a large group of 8- to 12-year-old children; and further to assess the probability of defects associated with values of body mass variables. METHODS: The study included prospective anthropometric measurements data of 6992 children (3476 boys and 3516 girls) from Gdansk (Northern Poland). Standard screening test used in Poland for assessment of lower limb defects were used (intermalleolar or intercondylar distance for knee alignment, linear vertical compass for valgus heel, computer podoscope or classical footprint and measuring the Sztriter-Godunow index for flatfeet). Body mass was assessed with local centile charts and IOTF cutoffs. Prevalence of postural defects was compared with an aid of Pearson's chi-squared test and Fisher's exact test. Probability of lower extremities postural defect was estimated on the basis of logistic regression analysis, and expressed as an odds ratio (OR) and its 95.0% CI. RESULTS: The study demonstrated that cumulative prevalence of lower extremity defects (31.5%) was lower than reported in most published studies, most common defects were valgus heel (21.8%) and valgus knee (14.5%). Boys were significantly more frequently diagnosed with lower limb defects overall (p < 0.001), as well as with varus knee, valgus heel, flatfoot of any degree. Limb defects were found in 90,2% of obese children, 25,7% of normal weight and 15,1% of underweight children. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of some lower extremities defects seems to be sex specific. Prevalence varied across body weight categories and was rising with the increase of BMI. Increased body mass is correlated with a higher risk of developing lower extremity postural defects in children.

Is there a rapid increase in prevalence of obesity in Polish children? An 18-year prospective observational study in Gdansk, Poland.

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of overweight and obesity is not regularly screened among Polish children. Very few longitudinal data exist on the prevalence and increase of overweight and obesity in this population. The aim of the study was to analyze the prevalence of overweight and obesity among selected age categories of children from Gdansk, on the basis of 1992-2012 data. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The anthropometric data (body weight and height, body mass index) of 70,329 children aged between 6 and 13 years were analyzed. Data were collected during annually performed child health measurements in schools by medical staff of Gdansk Center for Health Promotion during 1992-2012. RESULTS: No constant trend to increase or decrease in the prevalence of overweight or obesity was documented in any of the studied age groups (p > 0.05). An age-related increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity was observed throughout all consecutive age categories in boys and in prepubertal girls (p < 0.05). Overweight and obesity were significantly more frequent in girls than in boys from all age categories (p < 0.05), except 12- and 13-year-old children (p = 0.173; p = 0.973), in whom no gender-specific differences were documented. CONCLUSIONS: Our study did not confirm the previously reported growing tendency in the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children. However, our findings point to an age-related increase in the prevalence of excess body weight in the pediatric population.

Cardiorespiratory fitness in children: a simple screening test for population studies.

Cardiorespiratory fitness is one measure of body functions, and its assessment should play an important role in the activities associated with the promotion of physical activity as an important component of a healthy lifestyle. This study aimed to develop a reference system of the mean post-exercise heart rate (HRmean post-ex) after a 3-min step test for use in screening the cardiorespiratory fitness of 6- to 12-year-old children. The study included 14,501 children ages 6-12 years from primary schools in Gdansk. The participants were subjected to the 3-min Kasch Pulse Recovery Test (KPR Test). The reference range for the classification of cardiorespiratory fitness was developed on the basis of the age-specific percentile distribution of HRmean post-ex in 6- to 9- and 10- to 12-year-old children. This study showed that the 3-min KPR Test is easy to perform and well tolerated by school-age children. As such, it can constitute a useful tool for health promoters and educators. The presented age- and gender-specific reference range of HRmean post-ex enables the assessment and monitoring of submaximal exercise-induced changes in the cardiovascular system and, consequently, the physical fitness of a given individual.