Temporal trends in growth of boys adopted from Russia

Introduction: The objective of this study is to contribute data on the temporal trends in weight, height, body mass index (BMI) and head circumference (HC) in boys adopted from Russia. Material and methods: Prospective observational study on an initial cohort of 139 Russian boys adopted in Spain be...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Gonzalo Oliván-Gonzalvo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Emergency Department of Hospital San Pedro (Logroño, Spain) 2024-02-01
Series:Iberoamerican Journal of Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.53986/ibjm.2024.0009
_version_ 1797201789742743552
author Gonzalo Oliván-Gonzalvo
author_facet Gonzalo Oliván-Gonzalvo
author_sort Gonzalo Oliván-Gonzalvo
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: The objective of this study is to contribute data on the temporal trends in weight, height, body mass index (BMI) and head circumference (HC) in boys adopted from Russia. Material and methods: Prospective observational study on an initial cohort of 139 Russian boys adopted in Spain between 2001 and 2013. Adverse history was collected by reviewing pre-adoption medical records. Anthropometric parameters were measured and recorded in a standardized way. The measurements obtained were compared with the World Health Organization child growth standards, calculating the corresponding z-scores (Z) and percentiles for age and sex. Results: Main history: preterm (32.4%), low birth weight (26.6%), prenatal alcohol exposure (19.4%), abandonment at birth (56.1%), abuse/neglect (49.3%). Initial post-arrival evaluation, 3 (1.7) years: weight Z, -1.24; height Z, -2.34; HC Z, -1.27. Significant catch-up growth (Z increase) in the first year: weight, +0.73; height, +1.05; HC, +0.6; in the second year: height, +0.58. Longitudinal growth pattern. Weight: from age 5 years, no relevant differences were observed. Height: at age 6 years a relevant delay persisted, from ages 7 to 11 years a gradual increase was observed, and from ages 12 to 17 years a gradual decrease, no showing relevant differences. BMI: showed that the degree of height delay was always higher than that of weight, balancing after age 14 years. HC: at age 5 years, there was no longer a relevant difference. Conclusions: These findings suggest that, despite the important delay of weight, HC, and especially height at the time of adoption, and the various adverse factors for growth that they presented, international adoption led to a substantial recovery of all anthropometric parameters, showing plasticity in the physical growth of these children.
first_indexed 2024-04-24T07:53:08Z
format Article
id doaj.art-4f7db88516404216870c8456c00924ad
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2695-5075
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-24T07:53:08Z
publishDate 2024-02-01
publisher Emergency Department of Hospital San Pedro (Logroño, Spain)
record_format Article
series Iberoamerican Journal of Medicine
spelling doaj.art-4f7db88516404216870c8456c00924ad2024-04-18T07:33:32ZengEmergency Department of Hospital San Pedro (Logroño, Spain)Iberoamerican Journal of Medicine2695-50752024-02-01624550https://doi.org/10.53986/ibjm.2024.0009Temporal trends in growth of boys adopted from RussiaGonzalo Oliván-Gonzalvo0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5178-6651Pediatrics and International Adoption Center, Zaragoza, SpainIntroduction: The objective of this study is to contribute data on the temporal trends in weight, height, body mass index (BMI) and head circumference (HC) in boys adopted from Russia. Material and methods: Prospective observational study on an initial cohort of 139 Russian boys adopted in Spain between 2001 and 2013. Adverse history was collected by reviewing pre-adoption medical records. Anthropometric parameters were measured and recorded in a standardized way. The measurements obtained were compared with the World Health Organization child growth standards, calculating the corresponding z-scores (Z) and percentiles for age and sex. Results: Main history: preterm (32.4%), low birth weight (26.6%), prenatal alcohol exposure (19.4%), abandonment at birth (56.1%), abuse/neglect (49.3%). Initial post-arrival evaluation, 3 (1.7) years: weight Z, -1.24; height Z, -2.34; HC Z, -1.27. Significant catch-up growth (Z increase) in the first year: weight, +0.73; height, +1.05; HC, +0.6; in the second year: height, +0.58. Longitudinal growth pattern. Weight: from age 5 years, no relevant differences were observed. Height: at age 6 years a relevant delay persisted, from ages 7 to 11 years a gradual increase was observed, and from ages 12 to 17 years a gradual decrease, no showing relevant differences. BMI: showed that the degree of height delay was always higher than that of weight, balancing after age 14 years. HC: at age 5 years, there was no longer a relevant difference. Conclusions: These findings suggest that, despite the important delay of weight, HC, and especially height at the time of adoption, and the various adverse factors for growth that they presented, international adoption led to a substantial recovery of all anthropometric parameters, showing plasticity in the physical growth of these children.https://doi.org/10.53986/ibjm.2024.0009childmalerussiaadoptiongrowth
spellingShingle Gonzalo Oliván-Gonzalvo
Temporal trends in growth of boys adopted from Russia
Iberoamerican Journal of Medicine
child
male
russia
adoption
growth
title Temporal trends in growth of boys adopted from Russia
title_full Temporal trends in growth of boys adopted from Russia
title_fullStr Temporal trends in growth of boys adopted from Russia
title_full_unstemmed Temporal trends in growth of boys adopted from Russia
title_short Temporal trends in growth of boys adopted from Russia
title_sort temporal trends in growth of boys adopted from russia
topic child
male
russia
adoption
growth
url https://doi.org/10.53986/ibjm.2024.0009
work_keys_str_mv AT gonzaloolivangonzalvo temporaltrendsingrowthofboysadoptedfromrussia