Abstract:

The aim of the study is to evaluate the growth and development of school children and adolescents living in Ankara, to determine the up-to-date anthropometric values and to compare them in terms of secular change. The study was carried out cross-sectionally on 1484 (761 boys, 723 girls) children and adolescents aged 6-17 years that measured in accordance with international anthropometric protocols, and smoothed percentiles were constructed using the LMS method. Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated, malnutrition and obesity were evaluated by the World Health Organization (WHO) cut-offs. Height and weight were found to be higher for boys for all age groups. Sexual dimorphism was significant between 14-17 years of age due to the growth spurt (p<0.001). The BMI difference was higher between lower and higher percentiles for boys. Boys were found to be more eco-sensitive, and malnutrition and obesity prevalence were higher. It is important to conduct population-based anthropometric studies to construct local reference growth tables, in order to follow up growth in children and adolescents as well as to determine public health status.

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