Secular trends of children's growth

Abstract

Secular growth trends in children include changes in height, weight, head circumference, and body mass index over a longer period. They are indirect indicators of the success of the health system and the development of the social community. Secular growth trends reflect the interaction of genetic potential and the environment in which children grow up. Secular growth trends can be positive, negative, and unchanged. Positive secular trends indicate an increase in the values ​​of body weight, height, and body mass index of the observed population compared to previous generations and are interpreted as an improvement in the conditions in which contemporary generations grow up. Negative secular trends indicate the appearance of lower values ​​of anthropometric variables observed compared to previous generations. They are most often observed during prolonged exposure of children and young people to unfavorable socio-economic conditions, emotional stress during disasters, and wartime suffering. Unchanged secular trends reflect the achievement of genetic potential in optimal conditions. Secular growth trends are influenced by numerous environmental factors, family stability and functionality, quality, accessibility of the health system, appropriate ecological, and psychosocial circumstances, sufficient economic resources for the sustainability of the health and education system as well as appropriate social care, especially for deprived and vulnerable groups. Monitoring secular trends is the starting point for planning prevention programs and for the optimization of child growth and development. Longitudinal monitoring of the growth and development of children and young people is part of pediatric care, especially at the primary healthcare level. Analysis of secular trends, understanding epigenetic factors, and individual physiological variability are the starting points for rational interventions and planning prevention programs.

The lecture analyzes biological markers of secular trends, emphasizes the importance of anthropometric measurements in modern pediatrics, interprets secular trends in clinical practice, and provides an overview of changes in secular trends in the world and Croatia and their public health significance.