Influence of allergic disorders on physical development

Pawlinska-Chmara R, Wronka, Wronka I

Description

The aim of the paper was to asses the relationship between socioeconomic status, the prevalence of allergy and physical development. The data were obtained from 478 female students and 195 male students aged 19-24. The prevalence of allergy in the group surveyed was 14.6% (14.6% in women and 14.4% in men). Allergic diseases were more frequent in students of high socioeconomic status. The results of the analysis of variance did not show any significant differences in anthropometric characteristics between students with and without allergies. However, women and men with allergies diagnosed are on average shorter than people without allergies. The dependency is also visible after adjusting for socioeconomic status. As for the equal status groups, the people with allergies are always shorter than those without allergies. Summarizing, the results of the tests presented indicate that allergic diseases may affect the growing process. However, upon providing appropriate conditions, the growth of children with allergy is not different from the control population.

Sujets

• Allergy
• Socioeconomic status
• Human height
• Bmi

Informations

• Publié par: biomed
• Publié le: 01 janvier 2009
• Nombre de lectures: 6
• Langue: English

Extrait

Eur J Med Res (2009) 14(Suppl. IV): 187-191

187

1 2 R. Pawlinska-Chmara , I. Wronka

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL RESEARCH

December 7, 2009

© I. Holzapfel Publishers 2009

1 2 Department ofBiotechnology and Molecular Biology, Opole University, Opole, Poland;Department ofAnthropology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland

I NFLUENCE OF A LLERGIC D ISORDERS ON P HYSICAL D EVELOPMENT

Abstracthood not necessarily will continue throughout the The aim ofthe paper was to asses the relationship be- whole childhood and adolescence. Persons who grow tween socioeconomic status, the prevalence ofallergy fast in their childhood often mature earlier and earlier and physical development. The data were obtained finish the growth process, in consequence remaining from 478 female students and 195 male students aged short as adults. The catch-up phenomenon is also ob- 19-24. The prevalence ofallergy in the group surveyed served, thanks to which the child makes up for devel- was 14.6% (14.6% in women and 14.4% in men). Aller- opmental delays caused by bad living conditions or gic diseases were more frequent in students ofhigh so- diseases [7]. In the present study, therefore, correlation cioeconomic status. The results ofthe analysis ofvari- allergy and adult body sizebetween the occurrence of ance did not show any significant differences in anthro- has been analyzed. Two questions were considered. pometric characteristics between students with and Firstly, it was checked whether the prevalence ofaller- without allergies. However, women and men with aller- gy is higher in persons from families with high social- gies diagnosed are on average shorter than people with- economic status. Secondly, it was estimated whether out allergies. The dependency is also visible after ad- allergy affects the biological growth.the occurrence of justing for socioeconomic status. As for the equal status groups, the people with allergies are always shorter than M ATERIAL AND M ETHODS those without allergies. Summarizing, the results ofthe tests presented indicate that allergic diseases may affect The study was approved by an institutional Ethics the growing process. However, upon providing appro- Committee and was performed in accordance with priate conditions, the growth ofchildren with allergy is 1975 forguidelines ofthe Declaration ofHelsinki of not different from the control population. Human Research. The data to be analyzed were ob- tained from students ofthe Jagiellonian University in Key words:allergy, socioeconomic status, body height,Krakow and the Opole University in Opole, Poland. A BMI totalof 478women and 195 men aged 19-24 were ex- amined. Height and body mass were measured in each I NTRODUCTION person and BMI calculated. Information on the so- cioeconomic status (SES) and allergy occurrence was Studies on the causes and effects ofallergic diseasescollected by means ofa questionnaire. The socioeco- have become the topic ofseveral papers recently. Ge-nomic status was determined by variables commonly netic predispositions are listed among the factors hav-used in Poland: place ofresidence in childhood and ing significant effects on allergy appearance [1, 2]. Al-parents’ education. In addition, the respondents were lergy is a polygenic disease and its occurrence is affect-asked for self-assessment ofthe financial standing of ed by environmental factors, most ofall those relatedtheir families. To determine the allergy occurrence, the to civilization progress: air and water pollution, adding following question was asked: were you diagnosed preservatives, artificial colorants and other additives towith allergy during medical examination and what fac- food, exposure to tobacco smoke, mass application oftors are you allergic to? Particular attention was paid to antibiotics. A significant role is also attributed to fac-the fact that the responses should concern the cases of tors related to life style, such as low physical activity,allergy found by physicians only. frequent staying indoors with closed windows or air-To determine the significance ofdifferences in the conditioning, and diet based on highly processed food.prevalence ofallergy, depending on the social vari- Allergy undoubtedly is a civilization disease and theables, the Chi2 test was applied. The differences in an- growth ofits frequency is mostly observed in coun-thropometric parameters, depending on allergy occur- tries ofhigh life standard [3, 4, 5, 6]. rence were assessed by means ofa multi-factor analy- Allergy, like any other disease may affect the biolog-sis ofvariance. ical development. It is difficult, however, to assess the correlation between allergic diseases and physical R ESULTS growth, when we are not in possession ofcomplete data until the end ofgrowth process. Acceleration orThe prevalence ofallergy in the study group was retardation ofthe development observed during child-14.6%, (14.6% in women and 14.4% in men). Due to