Secular Changes in Mongolia: Shift in Tempos of Growth

Elena Z. Godina, Lhagvasuren Gundegmaa, Shagdar Bat-Erdene, Liudmila V. Zadorozhnaya, Ekaterina Yu. Permiakova, Irina A. Khomiakova

Abstract


 The patterns of secular changes in children and adolescents of the city of Ulаan-Baatar in the Republic of Mongolia measured in 2010-11 by the authors and in the group of children observed by Uranchimeg in the same place in 19891 have been analyzed. Total number of the investigated children and adolescents from 9 to 17 years of age was 1351. The last survey was conducted in accordance with bioethical procedures. The program included standard anthropometric measurements, descriptive characteristics2 and pubertal stages evaluation3. Mean age of development of secondary sexual characteristics was calculated graphically. For most of the anthropometric indices significant differences between the Mongolian teenagers of two series of measurements were revealed. The patterns of secular changes in body size confirmed the interaction of «tempo and amplitude»4: significant changes in pubertal growth were observed with the same average values at 16-17-year old boys and girls. The increase in body circumferences observed in modern Mongolian schoolchildren was possibly based on the increase of body fat component, parallel to the global trend worldwide.


Keywords*


auxology, secular changes, tempos of growth, physical development, sexual maturation, stature, BMI, modern Mongolian schoolchildren

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