OBJECTIVE Prevalence of overweight in children is increasing, causing various health problems. This study aims to establish growth references for weight and to assess the prevalence rates of... Show moreOBJECTIVE Prevalence of overweight in children is increasing, causing various health problems. This study aims to establish growth references for weight and to assess the prevalence rates of overweight and obesity in a nationwide sample of Dutch children with Down syndrome (DS), taking into account the influence of comorbidity. METHODS In 2009, longitudinal growth data from Dutch children with trisomy 21 who were born after 1982 were retrospectively collected from medical records of 25 Dutch regional specialized DS centers. "Healthy" was defined as not having concomitant disorders or having only a mild congenital heart defect. Weight and BMI references were calculated by using the LMS method, and prevalence rates of overweight and obesity by using cutoff values for BMI as defined by the International Obesity Task Force. Differences in prevalence rates were tested by multilevel logistic regression analyses to adjust for gender and age. RESULTS Growth data of 1596 children with DS were analyzed. Compared with the general Dutch population, healthy children with DS were more often overweight (25.5% vs 13.3% in boys, and 32.0% vs 14.9% in girls) and obese (4.2% vs 1.8%, and 5.1% vs 2.2%, respectively). Prevalence rates of overweight between DS children with or without concomitant disorders did not vary significantly. CONCLUSIONS Dutch children with DS have alarmingly high prevalence rates of overweight and obesity during childhood and adolescence. Health care professionals should be aware of the risk of overweight and obesity in children with DS to prevent complications. Show less
Background:Records show that mean height in The Netherlands has increased since 1858. This study looks at whether this trend in the world's tallest nation is continuing, and we consider the... Show moreBackground:Records show that mean height in The Netherlands has increased since 1858. This study looks at whether this trend in the world's tallest nation is continuing, and we consider the influence of the geographical region, and of child and parental education, on changes in height.Methods:We compared the height of young Dutch people aged 0-21 years as determined on the basis of the growth study of 2009 with the height data from growth studies conducted in 1955, 1965, 1980, and 1997.Results:The analysis sample included 5,811 boys and 6,194 girls. Height by age was the same as in 1997. Mean final height was 183.8 cm (SD=7.1 cm) in boys and 170.7 cm (SD=6.3 cm) in girls. The educational levels of both children and their parents are positively correlated with mean height. Since 1997, differences between geographical regions have decreased but not vanished, with the northern population being the tallest.Conclusion:The world's tallest population has stopped growing taller after a period of 150 years. The cause is unclear. The Dutch may have reached the optimal height distribution. Alternatively, growth-promoting environmental factors may have stabilised in the last decade, preventing the population from attaining its full growth potential.Pediatric Research (2012); doi:10.1038/pr.2012.189. Show less
Gameren-Oosterom, H.B.M. van; Buitendijk, S.E.; Bilardo, C.M.; Pal-de Bruin, K.M. van der; Wouwe, J.P. van; Mohangoo, A.D. 2012
OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of female genital mutilation (FGM) in women giving birth in 2008 in the Netherlands. METHOD: A retrospective questionnaire study was conducted. The study... Show moreOBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of female genital mutilation (FGM) in women giving birth in 2008 in the Netherlands. METHOD: A retrospective questionnaire study was conducted. The study covered all 513 midwifery practices in the Netherlands. The data were analysed with SPSS 17.0. RESULTS: The response from midwifery practices was 93% (n = 478). They retrospectively reported 470 circumcised women in 2008 (0.32%). The expected prevalence in the Netherlands based on the estimated prevalence of FGM in the country of birth was 0.7%. It is likely that there was underreporting in midwifery practices since midwives do not always enquire about the subject and may not notice the milder types of FGM. Midwives who checked their records before answering our questionnaire reported a prevalence of 0.8%. CONCLUSION: On the basis of this study, we can conclude that FGM is a serious clinical problem in Europe for migrant women from risk countries for FGM. These women should receive extra attention from obstetricians and midwives during childbirth, since almost half are mutilated and FGM involves a risk of complications during delivery for both women and children. Show less
