Socioeconomic inequalities in height, leg length and trunk length among children aged 6.5 years and their parents from the Republic of Belarus: Evidence from the Promotion of Breastfeeding Intervention Trial (PROBIT)

Abstract

Background: Lower socioeconomic position is associated with shorter stature, in particular shorter leg length, but the magnitude of these associations in non-Western countries has received little attention.

Aim: To examine socioeconomic differentials in height, leg and trunk length in 6.5 year olds from the Republic of Belarus and compare these to differentials in parental height.

Methods: Multivariable linear regression was used to examine associations in a cohort of 13 889 children.

Results: Children from non-manual households were 1.0 cm (95% confidence interval: 0.7–1.3 cm) taller than those from manual households. Mothers and fathers from non-manual backgrounds were 0.7 cm (0.5–0.8) and 1.8 cm (1.6–2.0) taller than those from manual backgrounds, respectively. Associations with higher parental educational attainment were similar. The magnitudes of the associations of socioeconomic position with leg length were similar to those with trunk length. Adjusting for mid-parental height and number of older siblings attenuated associations markedly.

Conclusions: In Belarus, similar socioeconomic differentials in height were observed in both children and their parents. Among children, height differentials were partly explained by mid-parental height and number of older siblings. Leg length was not a more sensitive indicator of childhood socioeconomic conditions than trunk length.

Keywords::

• Height
• leg length
• trunk length
• socioeconomic factors

Acknowledgements

The additional contributing members of the PROBIT Study Group are named. National Research and Applied Medicine Mother and Child Centre (Minsk, Belarus): Natalia Bazulko, Olga Gritsenko, Lidia Ovchinikova and Julia Rizkovskaya. Polyclinic paediatricians: Drs Natalia Andreeva (Rogachev), Tatiana Avdeichuk (Brest), Elena Avsiuk (Vitebsk), Irina Baikevich (Slonim), Zinaida Bisucova (Zlobin), Irina Bujko (Oshmiany), Tamara Galushkina (Volkovysk), Marina Gotovchi (Brest), Danuta Iodkovskaya (Berestovitsa), Galina Ivanova (Mogilev), Larisa Kebikova (Minsk), Galina Kluchnikova (Ostrovets), Maria Kotliarovich (Soligorsk), Galina Kovalevskaya (Lepel), Natalia Krokas (Mosty), Nadezda Kushkova (Rechitsa), Afanasia Lazarenko (Klimovichi), Ludmila Lazuta (Minsk), Zinaida Liamkina (Borisov), Raisa Lisiura (Stolin), Tamara Nabedo (Novolukoml), Svetlana Pleskach (Baranovichi), Oksana Potapenko (Soligorsk), Svetlana Pridhodoskaya (Bereuza), Valentina Rahotskaya (Oshmiany), Irina Rogach (Mstislavl), Ludmila Rutkovskaya (Kobrin), Natalia Senchuk (Rechitsa), Elena Seraia (Baranovichi), Ludmila Sheveleva (Kobrin), Vera Shota (Svisloch), Anna Silvanovich (Shuchin), Lilia Smolskaya (Glubokoe), Valentina Solovey (Volkovysk), Zoya Solovyova (Dokshitsy), Natalia Tsarik (Svetlogorsk), Nadezda Turkovskaya (Zlobin) and Oxana Zarodova (Minsk Region).

The hypotheses and statistical analysis plan were developed by RP, RMM and DAL. MSK and RMM contributed to obtaining funding for PROBIT fieldwork. RP performed the statistical analysis. RP wrote the first draft and co-coordinated completion of the paper. All authors critically commented on, edited earlier drafts and approved the final version of the paper. RP had full access to all the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.

None of the funding bodies influenced the data collection, analysis or its interpretation for this paper. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily any funding body.

Declaration of Interest: Supported by a grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (to MK) and from the European Union's project on Early Nutrition Programming: Long-term Efficacy and Safety Trials (grant code: FOOD-DT-2005-007036 to RMM and GDS). DAL & GDS work in a UK Medical Research Centre (grant code: G0600705). DALs contribution to this work is supported by a UK Economic and Social Research Council large grant (grant code: RES-060-23-0011). The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.