Changes in body composition and skeletal robustness in 7-17-year-old children and adolescents from Plovdiv, Bulgaria (1998-2008)
Changes in body composition and skeletal robustness in 7-17-year-old children and adolescents from Plovdiv, Bulgaria (1998-2008)

Summary/Abstract: Objectives. Overweight and obesity among children and adolescents represent a global epidemic problem that leads to a number of socially serious diseases among grown-ups. The purpose of this study is to assess the changes that have occurred for a 10-year period of time in body composition and skeletal robustness of children and adolescents. Material and methods. 2094 healthy children and adolescents aged 7-17 from the town of Plovdiv were examined in 2008/2009. The results were compared with identical ones referring to healthy 7-17 year-old children and adolescents from Plovdiv, who were examined in 1998-1999. For each person height, weight, elbow breadth, subscapular and triceps skinfolds were measured using anthropometric methods. On this basis, calculations of the body mass index, the fat free mass index, the fat mass index, percentage of body fat and the Frame- Index of each child were made. The data were processed by SPSS 20.0 software. Results. The children from this survey are slightly taller and heavier, with the values of BMI and a significantly lower percentage of body fat tending to increase. During the 10 years period of survey, the Frame has decreased significantly in almost all age groups, except 11 and 16-yearold boys and 17-year-old girls from the previous study. Skeletal robustness has not decreased in any percentile groups: the 90 and 97 percentile values are higher among children nowadays, and the values of the 10th and 3rd percentile of the index are lower. The ten-year variations in the values of 10th percentile correspond to lower skeletal robustness from 2 to 15.7% for boys and from 7 to 18% for girls. There are no significant correlations between skeletal robustness and BMI, as well as between skeletal robustness and percentage of body fat. Conclusions. While growing, contemporary children accumulate more fat-free body mass per unit of height, whereas their peers a decade ago – more fat tissue per unit of height. The increase in the percentage of overweight and the decrease in skeletal robustness of contemporary children and adolescents from Plovdiv were caused, entirely or partially, by reduced physical activity.

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