Growth and development of three Yugoslav populations in different ecological settings.

The role of genetical and ecological factors in the physical growth and development was studied in three Yugoslav populations living in different ecological settings. Anthropometric measurements of 6,908 children and young adolescents ages 1 to 18 years were taken and the results were compared in regard to ethnic and ecological characteristics. The evidence is presented that significant improvement in physical characteristics follows the improvement in environmental factors including nutrition. In addition to an increase in body height, changes were also noted in the build of the bony frame of the population living under improved environmental conditions. There was a change in the shape of the skeleton from the squatty appearance of the short population to the more lanky shape of the tall population. It is concluded that systematic periodic collection of the information on child growth could serve as a useful monitoring system for the surveillance of ecological and nutritional trends of a country.