Endocrine Abstracts

Drying of the Aral Sea resulted in serious problems including pollution of air, water (mineralization of clear water) and soil which in its turn caused rise in various somatic diseases in population and produced a negative effect on health of children and adolescents.

Drying of the Aral Sea resulted in serious problems including pollution of air, water (mineralization of clear water) and soil which in its turn caused rise in various somatic diseases in population and produced a negative effect on health of children and adolescents.

Materials and methods: To estimate physical and sexual development of adolescents of the Aral Sea area an epidemiological survey was carried out in 2008 using a method of random sampling considering age and sex. The study group comprised 1120 children (600 girls and 620 boys) aged 12 to 16. The study included anthropometry (coefficient of standard deviations SDS), BMI, estimation of sexual development (according to Tanner), USI of the small pelvis organs.

Results: Of 1220 children examined, stunting was found in 143 (11.7%) and weight deficiency in 67%. It should be noted that 85% of children were registered at the dispensary for anemia. The ratio of occurrence of stunting between boys and girls made 2:1. Of 620 boys examined stunting was found in 14.3%, sexual development retardation in 20% of boys, hypogonadism in 3%, obesity in 1.7%, micropenis in 2.5%, unilateral cryptorchism in 1.2%, other boys had normal for age puberty development. Of 600 girls examined stunting was revealed in 7.3%, abnormal puberty in 2.8%, retardation of sexual development in 12.8%, late menarche in 12.1% and primary amenorrhea in 4.3% of girls. Thus, the results obtained suggest on direct influence of adverse ecological factors (pollution of air, water, soil) of the Aral Sea area on health of children being confirmed with frequency of stunting (11.7%) in children and sexual development disorders revealed.