Underweight, overweight and obesity in girls at the age of 7-19 years from the Lubelskie Province in the years 1986-2006.

INTRODUCTION

Increasing disproportions in the economic status of the Polish population are tangibly reflected in differences in the nutritional status of children and adolescents.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The objective of this study was to determine changes in the population size of girls with proper BMI values and their peers with underweight, overweight and obesity in a twenty-year time span.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The survey conducted in 1986 covered 17 586 girls, whereas that conducted twenty years later covered 9540 girls. Measurements were taken of body height and body mass of the girls, which enabled calculating values of their Body Mass Index (BMI). Pursuant to guidelines of the International Obesity Task Force, girls with the 3rd degree underweight (gr. I), with the 2nd degree underweight (gr. II), with the 1st degree under-weight (gr. III), with proper BMI values (gr. IV), with overweight (gr. V), and with obesity (gr. VI) were selected from the biological material. The statistical significance of differences between mean values achieved in the year 1986 and 2006 was verified with the Student´s t-test for independent variables. The statistical significance of differences between the number of girls classified to each group in respect of the whole population surveyed in the year 1986 and 2006 was determined with the ?2 test.

RESULTS

In the investigated twenty-year period, analyses demonstrated an increased incidence of body mass deficiency and excess in the surveyed girls. Greater differences between the generations in the incidence of underweight, overweight and obesity were observed in the urban girls, compared to their rural peers. In addition, more significant differences in body mass deficiency and excess were noted in the youngest girls from schools of the Lubelskie Province.

CONCLUSIONS

It may, therefore, be speculated that the differences in the economic status of Lubelskie Province inhabitants influenced a lower number of girls with appropriate BMI values as well as increased percentages of girls with body mass deficiency and excess.