Secular Changes in Growth and Obesity in Perinatal Population

Abstract

The survey was conducted during the last 25 years and included 2414 healthy women who delivered in »Sestre milosrdnice« University Hospital Center in Zagreb, Croatia and their newborns. The aim was to establish the secular trend of some anthropological factors through two generations. Anthropological features such as pre-pregnancy weight, body mass index before pregnancy, height, age, place of residence, educational level, parity and the newborn weight were registered. The study was randomized. The mothers from the city of Zagreb and the surrounding villages, rural areas are examined. The women age was different and also different levels of education and socioeconomic status. The study included women who had not given birth yet, who had delivered once, twice, and three or more times. Maternal height in 25 years increased by 3.1cm. and increases with education. The pre-pregnancy weight increased 2.8 kg and increases with age, parity and rural life. The body mass index (BMI) which the women had before pregnancy was calculated, and according to its value the participants were divided in three groups: with normal weight, overweight and fat. Among the studied periods BMI does not differ significantly, but does differ significantly with respect to the ordinal number of births, parity, age and living environment. Higher BMI was associated with deliveries to heavier children.