Rada Rakić

Body height and weight of children in Novi Sad

Summary. Background: Height and weight are the most important measures of growth and development and indirect indicators of living conditions. The socio-economic conditions in Serbia have varied drastically. In 1990, a political and economic crisis started causing a rapid fall of standards of living. Aim: The study aimed to determine the height and weight of children aged 3–11 in the periods between 1971, 1981, 1991 and 2001 in Novi Sad, Serbia. Subjects and methods: This investigation was carried out in the same primary schools and pre-school institutions. The data included children of Serbian nationality born in Novi Sad whose parents were also born there and had the same socio-economic background. Results: Positive changes in height and weight were recorded in the decades 1971–1981 and 1981–1991, except for the height of 8-year-old children. In the period 1991–2001, an increase in height was observed only at the age of 8 in boys and until the age of 9 in girls. As for weight, an increase was recorded in 9-year-old boys, while in girls it was present at all ages except for the ages of 7 and 10. Considering the period 1971–2001, positive changes in height were recorded from the age of 6 in boys and 5 in girls. The changes in weight were positive at all ages except the age of 5 in boys and after the age of 6 in girls. Conclusion: Lower values of height and weight recorded in 2001 are probably due to the changes in living conditions or they indicate that the acceleration reached its peak.

Relationship between adult stature, BMI and WHR in Backa and Banat

BACKGROUND Adult height can be a marker of living conditions in early life. The aim of this study was to assess relationship between adult stature, overweight and central obesity in Backa and Banat--Vojvodina (Serbia). 4,504 adults, average age 40.62 +/- 10.74, were tested. METHODOLOGY The analysis of differences in morphological variables, BMI, WHR in stature, age and educational groups was carried out using t-test and chi-square test. Models of logistic regression were used to estimate the risk (OR; 95% CI) of obesity in different stature groups. RESULTS This study showed that education was a significant factor that influences stature. Most short stature subjects had primary education. The highest percentage of those with university-level education was in the tall stature group. Among men, short stature did not correlate with overweight/obesity while a smaller correlation was observed in relation to central adiposity. It, however, had a more marked influence among women. Short stature women were more susceptible to overweight in 20-49 y age groups, and to abdominal obesity in 50-59 y age group. CONCLUSION Short stature can potentially be an independent risk factor for developing overweight/obesity in women and to a lesser extent for central obesity of both men and women.

Body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio and waist/height in adult population from Backa and Banat - the Republic of Serbia.

Abstract Background: Nutritional status is vital in the assessment of physical fitness and health status of populations. Aim: This study aimed to describe relationships between BMI, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and waist/height (W/Ht) and factors such as education, residence, origin and ethnic belonging among adults in Backa and Banat. Subjects and methods: The study was conducted in 47 villages in the north of Serbia. The tested group consisted of 4247 individuals, aged 20+. Results: The problem of overweight and obesity was more common among men (66%) than women (49.71%). In the group with normal BMI, the majority of men and women were characterized by normal WHR and W/Ht values, but among them there were also groups with incorrect WHR (males ≥ 0.95, females ≥ 0.8) and W/Ht (≥ 0.5). Socio-demographic factors had a little impact on BMI, WHR and W/Ht in men in certain age groups while their impact was higher in women. These factors, especially education and origin, had a significant impact on nutritional status in young and middle-aged women, whereas they were not significant in older female participants (> 60). Conclusion: Despite the fact that this part of the country has undergone intensive social changes since the last decade of 20th century, the nutritional status of the population has not significantly changed.

Prevalence of overweight and obesity in adult rural population of the northern part of Backa and Banat

BACKGROUND/AIM Obesity represents one of the frequent health problems in developed countries today. It is related to cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and various cancer forms. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity in adult population of the northern Badka and Banat. METHODS On the basis of a multistage stratified random sampling, 4505 individuals of the age 40.61 +/- 11.29 years took part in the study. The study included 46 rural settlements. The overweight and obesity prevalence was obtained using the anthropometric indicators of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and the waist to hip ratio (WHR). The correlations among BMI, WC and WHR were determined by the Pearsons correlation coefficient while the multiple regression analysis was used for correlating sociodemographic parameters and the obesity index. RESULTS A significant positive correlation was found in relation to all anthropometric parameters in both sexes. The data indicated that 66.32% of males and 49.68% of females had an overweight problem. On average, approximately 38.52% of subjects of both sexes were overweight, while 19.48% were obese. The factors that largely contributed to higher values of the obesity index were the age of male subjects and the age, education and origin in females. Ragarding the female subjects, the level of education negatively correlated with the level of nutritional condition. CONCLUSION The prevalence values of the overweight and obese subjects, obtained on the basis of the anthropometric parameters, vary. However, regardless methods applied, the percentage of the overweight and obese persons is very high, being among the highest recorded in European populations. The obtained results indicate the necessity of introducing better education programmes and conducting regular health controls among citizens in these regions.

Correlation of Vital Lung Capacity with Body Weight, Longitudinal and Circumference Dimensions

ABSTRACT Vital lung capacity is an indicator of body constitution type and functional ability of individuals. Since the vital capacity is affected by a number of factors, the limiting values of the volume and capacity are rather broad. The objective of the study was to determine the changes in vital capacity in relation to the age and its correlation with the educational status and anthropological traits. Material and method: A cross-section anthropological study of adult population of Backa and Banat region was carried out in the period of 2001–2006. In total, 4504 individuals took part in the study, including 1965 males and 2539 females. The mean age of male and female subjects was 40.10±11.84 and 41.12±10.75 years, respectively. The correlation of vital capacity with the age, educational level and morphological traits of the subjects was obtained by regression analysis and Pearson correlation coefficient (r) at the level of significance p<0.01 and p>0.05. Results: The average vital capacity in males is 3269±733.65ml and in females 2000±528.64ml. From the age of 20 to 39, the vital capacity of both sexes remains at the same level, while later it decreases considerably. The vital capacity correlates with longitudinal dimensions, particularly with the height, while the correlation with the weight is considerably lower. A negative correlation is obtained in relation to all circumference dimensions of females and the waist circumference of males. Conclusion: The vital capacity is affected by the sex, age, height and level of education. Education reflects the socioeconomic status, which in turn affects the life quality. Good living conditions can provide development of higher values of morphophysiological traits. These traits tend to change with aging.

Secular trend of head and face shape in adult population of Vojvodina (Serbia)

Abstract Background: Different populations show variation in the pattern of change in craniofacial dimensions over time. Earlier studies of craniofacial traits in the Republic of Serbia were carried out, without any particular reference to secular changes. Aim: The aim of the study is to determine possible changes in craniofacial dimensions among the adult population of Vojvodina (Serbia) during a 33 year period. Subjects and methods: The findings of the study are based on the comparison of data from two cross-sectional surveys. The earlier research was conducted in 1975 (n = 2600) and the second from 2001–2006 (n = 4504). Four craniofacial dimensions and body height were analysed. Results: In terms of the head dimensions, head length in males has increased substantially, while head breadth has decreased in both sexes. The total change in the cephalic index is 0.58 (males) and 0.48 (females) units per decade. Morphological face height has substantially increased, while face breadth has decreased in both sexes over this period. The total change in the facial index per decade is 0.75 units in males and 0.98 in females. Conclusion: The results point to a trend of head and face shape remodelling toward a narrower head and more elongated face, consistent with ongoing dolichocephalisation.

Comparative analysis of the anthropological characteristics of children from Vojvodina Serbia and Belarus

Anthropological traits of a population offer an insight into nutritional and socio-economic conditions of the region. The aim of the study was to compare anthropometric traits and body mass index in children from Vojvodina and Belarus.

Overweight and obesity in children and adolescents from Serbia in the period 2001-2004 and 2011-2014.

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE In recent years an increasing prevalence in overweight and obesity of children and adolescents has been recorded worldwide. Childhood obesity is a risk factor for adulthood obesity. The aim of the study is to examine the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents aged 7-19 in a 10-year long period in Serbia. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Cross sectional investigation was conducted in the periods 2001-2004 and 2011-2014. The first investigation included 8965 individuals, 4344 schoolboys and 4621 schoolgirls aged 7-19, while the second investigation included 2507 schoolboys and 3083 schoolgirls. The body mass index (BMI kg m(-2)) was obtained from the recorded height and weight and the assessment of overweight and obesity was based on IOTF reference values. RESULTS In the first period investigation overweight prevalence was detected in 18% of subjects (21.1% in boys and 15.1% in girls) and obesity prevalence in 5.5% of subjects (6.7% in boys and 4.4% in girls). In the second investigation the overweight and obesity prevalence was observed in 17.4% and 4.5% of subjects, respectively (20.6% in boys and 14.8% in girls; 5.3% in boys and 3.9% in girls). CONCLUSION The results indicate that in the ten-year period there has been no increase in the number of overweight and obese children and adolescents in Serbia.