ANTHROPOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUNG ADULTS IN AREAS WITH DIFFERENT ECOLOGICAL RISKS IN THE ARAL SEA REGION, UZBEKISTAN

Aim. In this paper we present anthropometric characteristics of young adults permanently living in three areas with different ecological risks in the Aral Sea region. The main hypothesis is that the exposure to organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in early childhood combined with factor associated with Aral Sea disaster (ASD) may have consequences for body composition in adulthood. Methods. A cross-sectional study. Altogether, 33 anthropometric parameters including body mass, length, sizes of extremities, chest, pelvis, and skinfold thickness were measured in 320 volunteers (135 males, 175 females) born in 1990-1995 before implementation of measures for liquidation of the ASD consequences. The participants were divided into three groups by ecological characteristics of the place of residence: 1 - critical, 2 -relatively optimal and 3 - optimal. Numeric data were analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis tests with Mann-Whitney post-hoc tests with Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. Categorical data were compared using exact chi-squared tests for binomial distribution. Results. Young men living in critical area had significantly lower values for body mass, arm length, chest circumference, waist circumference, skinfold thickness compared to their counterparts in other groups. Women from the second group had significantly greater average values for all studied characteristics compared with the two other groups. Conclusions. Men from the most ecologically disadvantaged areas had signs of suboptimal bone development. The observed differences in arm length and the size of the major joints in men may by associated with the anti-androgenic effect of OCPs before and during puberty while the opposite pattern revealed in females may be partly explained by estrogenic effect of OCPs. Our findings are in line with the results from the literature on endocrine disruptor chemicals. Environmental monitoring and public health measures are needed to preserve and improve health of the population of the Aral Sea region.

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