Human growth and development across time and space

Sixteen scientists met for the annual Auxological conference held at Krobielowice, Poland, to discuss plasticity of child and adolescent growth in historical and contemporary populations. Secular trends in body height and trends in the distribution of body weight and body mass index were discussed both in view of concurrent trends in economic variables, health, nutrition, and education, and, in view of more recent evidence of body height, as a social signal. Post-war periods of political instability associated with visions of future independence and prosperity favor upward body height trends independent of the economic and almost independent of the nutritional situation. Body height relates to social mobility and depends on education. A study on the relationship of social status, somatic characteristics of frequent horse riding, number of weapons, and body height in 6th to 8th century Avars emphasized the relevance of height as a social signal also in a nomadic medieval population. Migrants are particularly prone to plasticity in height, as the associated socio-economic-political and emotional (SEPE) burden of migration significantly interferes with the regulation of growth. Different patterns were observed in indigenous Hadza where body height does not seem to be an important social signal that influences preferences regarding both in-camp and out-of-camp activities. Indigenous populations are vulnerable and prone to notable decline in their health status. Taking a decolonial view on the historical well-being of the Xavante, the overall health status of this Brazilian population has significantly worsened despite changes in the administrative frameworks, including reductions in mortality rates and increased hospital service usage. In addition to height, the alterations in body weight, the effects of fat mass on physical fitness, lifestyle, sports, and general health in Polish, Czech, and Turkish populations were discussed. Modern body weight distributions are skewed, but the weight of historical urban and contemporary rural populations of developing countries is symmetrically distributed. The skewness of the contemporary weight references leads to underestimating overweight and overestimating the prevalence of wasting. Seasonality was an important factor for growth outcome and health in historical populations. The session was terminated with contributions on body proportion charts, and nutrition in autism spectrum disorders.