Secular changes in the waist, hips circumferences and selected associated indicators, among preschool children from Krakow (Poland), between 1983 and 2018

Objectives Waist circumference and derived indicators are great for measuring the risk of abdominal obesity. The main aim of the study was to assess the changes in the waist, hips circumferences and selected associated indicators, among preschool children (3-7 years of age) from Krakow, Poland, between 1983, 2008 and 2018. Methods The research was conducted in randomly selected kindergarten in Krakow (Poland). The 1983 cohort consisted of 1414 children and the 2008 and 2018 series included 1050 preschoolers each. Analyzed characteristics included waist and hip circumferences, body height, waist-to-hips ratio (WHR) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). Results There was a negative secular trend regarding circumferences of the hips and waist, as well as WHtR. In girls, WHR was, the greatest in the 2018 cohort, while among boys there was a secular increase in the value of this parameter compared to the 2008 cohort, but not to the 1983 series. Conclusions The coexistence of currently noted trends with the previously described secular decrease in the prevalence of overweight/obesity and increase in trunk adiposity in the same population, suggests that WHR is preferable to body mass index in assessing the risk associated with excess adiposity in the population examined in the presented study.