Anthropometric growth patterns in Albanian children : gender and urban-rural disparities

Muca, Florian (author), Deda, Nora (author), Muca, Kliton (author), Nurja, Anisa (author), Muca, Gentjan (author), Miraku, Andi (author), Jarani, Juel (author)

This study examines the anthropometric characteristics of Albanian children, analysing gender and urban-rural differences in body height, weight, BMI, and waist circumference across grades. A nationally representative sample of 1,073 children (grade 1-12) from 12 cities in Albania was assessed using standardized measurement protocols. Findings reveal noTable gender disparities in growth patterns, particularly during adolescence. Boys tend to surpass girls in height, weight, BMI, and waist circumference, with these differences becoming more pronounced from grades 8 to 12. Urban boys generally exhibit higher weight, BMI, and waist circumference than their rural counterparts, suggesting the influence of environmental and lifestyle factors. In contrast, rural girls tend to have lower waist circumference and BMI, which may reflect variations in physical activity and body fat distribution. These results underscore the importance of targeted health and nutrition interventions, particularly in adolescence, to address disparities in growth and body composition. Understanding regional and gender-related variations can help policymakers and educators design programs that promote healthy growth and development for all children in Albania.

• Language: English
• Keywords: sport, anthropometry, gender differences, BMI, waist circumference, Albania, children
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FŠ - Faculty of Sport
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: Str. 131-146
• Numbering: Vol. 31, no. 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-180527
• UDC: 796.01
• ISSN on article: 1318-2269
• DOI: 10.52165/kinsi.31.1.131-146
• COBISS.SI-ID: 239855363
• Publication date in RUL: 11.03.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Kinesiologia Slovenica. scientific journal on sport
• Shortened title: Kinesiol. Slov.
• Publisher: Fakulteta za šport, Inštitut za kineziologijo, Fakulteta za šport, Inštitut za kineziologijo, Založba Univerze v Ljubljani
• ISSN: 1318-2269
• COBISS.SI-ID: 30681856

Licences

• License: CC BY-SA 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
• Description: This Creative Commons license is very similar to the regular Attribution license, but requires the release of all derivative works under this same license.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Antropometrični vzorci rasti pri albanskih otrocih : spolne in mestno-podeželske razlike

Abstract

Ta študija preučuje antropometrične značilnosti albanskih otrok ter analizira spolne in mestno-podeželske razlike v telesni višini, teži, ITM-ju (indeks telesne mase) in obsegu pasu v različnih razredih. Nacionalno reprezentativni vzorec 1.073 otrok (od 1. do 12. razreda) iz 12 mest v Albaniji je bil ocenjen z uporabo standardiziranih merilnih protokolov. Ugotovitve razkrivajo izrazite spolne razlike v vzorcih rasti, zlasti v obdobju adolescence. Fantje običajno presegajo dekleta v telesni višini, teži, ITM-ju in obsegu pasu, pri čemer se te razlike najbolj izrazito pokažejo med 8. in 12. razredom. Mestni fantje imajo na splošno višjo telesno težo, ITM in obseg pasu kot njihovi podeželski vrstniki, kar nakazuje vpliv okolijskih in življenjskih dejavnikov. Nasprotno pa imajo podeželska dekleta običajno manjši obseg pasu in nižji ITM, kar lahko odraža razlike v telesni dejavnosti in porazdelitvi telesne maščobe. Ti rezultati poudarjajo pomen ciljnih zdravstvenih in prehranskih ukrepov, zlasti v obdobju adolescence za odpravljanje razlik v rasti in telesni sestavi. Razumevanje regionalnih in spolnih razlik lahko oblikovalcem politik in izobraževalcem pomaga pri zasnovi programov, ki spodbujajo zdravo rast in razvoj vseh otrok v Albaniji.

• Keywords: šport, antropometrija, spolne razlike, ITM, obseg pasu, Albanija, otroci