Changes in the biological status of Polish girls from a rural region associated with economic and political processes in the period 1967-2001.
The age at menarche, body height and weight of the daughters of farmers, farmer-workers and landless villagers in a rural region of Poland were studied. In the period 1967-1977, a time of economic development, a decrease in age at menarche (by 0.74 years) and a secular trend in body height (by 2.4 cm/decade) was observed. In 1977-1987, a period of acute economic crisis, age at menarche increased by 0.16 years and the secular trend in body height was only 1.1 cm/decade. In 1987-2001, age at menarche decreased and body height increased by 0.28 years and 2.9 cm respectively. The percentage of families owning a car, freezer and video increased during this period. These last results are indicative of an improvement in living conditions, but the villagers regard themselves as losers as a result of the political transformation (1989) in Poland.
Department of Anthropology, Academy of Physical Education, Warsaw, Poland.
Teresa
T
Łaska-Mierzejewska
Elzbieta
E
Olszewska
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008572:Menarche / Q000502:physiology*; D011044:Poland; D011057:Politics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D012922:Social Change; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors