Early growth faltering in post-institutionalized youth and later anthropometric and pubertal development
Open accessAbstract
BackgroundEarly-life adversity that increases the risk of growth stunting is hypothesized to increase the risk of obesity and, in girls, early-onset puberty. This hypothesis was tested in children adopted from orphanages.MethodsPost-institutionalized (PI) youth were compared with youth reared in comparable families (non-adopted; NA) on height, weight, pubertal stage, and fat mass (127 PI, 80 female; 156 NA, 85 female, aged 7-14 years). Anthropometric findings at adoption were obtained from first US clinic visits.ResultsOverall, 25% of PI youth were height-stunted (<3rd percentile) at adoption. Years post adoption, PI youth had lower BMI-for-age (P=0.004), height-for-age (P<0.001), and less body fat (P<0.001) than NA youth had, but they did not differ by sex. Pubertal status did not differ by group or sex. The anthropometric findings held when the stunted-at-adoption subset was examined; they were also less likely to be in central puberty than other PI youth.ConclusionEarly deprived orphanage care increases the risk of growth stunting but not obesity in children adopted into US families, and it does not independently contribute to early-onset puberty for PI girls. The role of the environment following early adversity may modify the impact of early adverse care.
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Three longitudinal studies have followed physical growth into late childhood or adolescence.
“3 longitudinal studies have tracked physical growth through late childhood or adolescence.13–15”
Knowledge is limited about how early institutionalization affects pubertal development, with studies reporting delays, accelerations, and no effects on various pubertal markers in boys and girls.
“Less is known about how early institutionalization influences pubertal development with reports of delays,16 accelerations,10,14,17,18 and null15,19 effects on various markers of pubertal development in boys and girls.”
Many studies have reported a higher rate of early pubertal development in children adopted out of adverse environments, especially girls.
“In contrast, in children adopted out of adverse environments such as institutional or foster care, many, though not all studies,15,19 have documented a higher rate of early pubertal development particularly in girls.10,17”
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References 42 · Cited by 31
- Authors
- Reid, B. M., Miller, B. S., Dorn, L. D., Desjardins, C., Donzella, B., & Gunnar, M.
- Affiliations
- University of Minnesota (US)
- Pennsylvania State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Reid, Brie M
- Venue
- Pediatric Research
- Published
- 2017-05-24
- Volume
- 82
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 278-284
- ISSN
- 0031-3998 (ISSN-L)
- 1530-0447
- PMC
- PMC5552432
- OpenAlex
- W2587155620
- Cited by
- 31
- References
- 42
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 6
- FWCI
- 11.30
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Pediatric Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Science Foundation (#00039202)
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R01HD075349)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Child Welfare and Adoption
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Birth, Development, and Health
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Child Nutrition and Water Access
- Keywords
- orphanage care, childhood adversity, stunting, anthropometric development, pubertal timing, childhood obesity, fat mass, body mass index for age, adoption, precocious puberty
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Anthropometry, Child, Female, Growth, Humans, Male, Puberty, Orphanages
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