Underweight, overweight, and obesity in boys and girls at the age of 7–18 years from eastern Poland 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 research: The objective of this study was to determine changes in population size of boys and girls with proper body mass index (BMI) values and their peers with underweight, overweight, and obesity in a 20-year time span.

Material and methods: The surveys were conducted in 1986 (52,853 boys and girls) and in 2006 (33,385 boys and girls). Height and weight of the body were measured and the BMI calculated for the boys and girls at the age of 7–18 years. Respondents with underweight (group I), with proper BMI values (group II), with overweight (group III), and with obesity (group IV) were selected from the biological material. The statistical significance of differences between mean values was verified with the Student’s t-test and the χ² test.

Results: Analyses demonstrated an increased incidence of body mass deficiency and excess in the surveyed boys and girls. Greater differences between the generations in the incidence of underweight, overweight, and obesity were observed in the urban citizens, compared to their rural peers. In addition, more significant differences in body mass deficiency and excess were noted in the youngest girls and boys from the schools in Eastern Poland.

Conclusions: It may be speculated that the differences in the economic status of the inhabitants of Eastern Poland influenced the lower number of girls and boys with appropriate BMI values, as well as increased percentages of girls and boys with body mass deficiency and excess.