The effects of Iran-Iraq war circumstances on adolescent's anthropometric and biochemical indices at the age of 11-18. Tehran lipid and glucose study

Research on children during war shows that in comparison to the whole population, these children are the most jeopardized group. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of war circumstances on the anthropometric and biochemical indices of adolescent boys and girls who were born during the war- years. In the TLGS, a sub-sample of adolescent, aged between 11 to 18 years old, was selected and divided into two groups. The first adolescent group (war group) were born between 1981 and 1989, and the second adolescent group were born after war years. Height, weight, serum lipids, fast blood sugar (FBS), systolic and diastolic blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) were compared between the two studied groups. The mean weight and height increased at the age of 12, 13, 14 and 17 years old in boys who were born after war. The mean weight of girls in after war group, increased at the age of 11, 13, 14 years old. However, the differences in their height were not statistically significant (P>0.05). Systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased in both groups, Some anthropometric indices like height and weight were increased in the boys who were born after the war, but in the girls, the mean weight in three ages groups were increased. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure and some lipid profile decreased in the boys and the girls who were born after war.