Weight Disorders in Short Children.

This study aimed to determine the degree of adiposity and prevalence of weight disorders in short children and to assess relationships between selected birth parameters and actual body fat content and body mass indicators. The study encompassed 85 girls and 97 boys, aged 7-14 years, with height below the 10th centile of the age and sex standard. In addition, 609 normal-height children (height between 25th and 75th centile) served as a comparison group. The children underwent measurements of body mass and height, skinfold thickness, and waist circumference. Detailed history on pregnancy and neonatal status of short children was collected. Body mass index, waist-to-height ratio, and body fat percentage (%FAT) were assessed. We found that about 27% of short children had insufficient %FAT and about 14% of them had excessive %FAT, regardless of sex. In terms of BMI, 24% of short children were underweight and only 6% were overweight or obese, while in normal-height children these percentages were 6 and 27.5%, respectively. Abdominal obesity was observed in about 5% of short children and 18% of normal-height children (p < 0.001). There was no association between birth parameters and somatic indicators in short children. We conclude that the prevalence of overweight and obesity, including abdominal obesity, among short children is much lower than that in normal-height children. The insufficient fat tissue and body mass, observed in one out of four short children, are particularly disturbing in the context of ensuring their correct development.