ESPE Abstracts

Introduction: Puberty has a significant contribution to near final height and significant weight gaining in adolescents. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the normal growth variations in the onset and tempo of puberty in a specific population. In this study, we aim ed to provide normative data on weight and height in saudi adolescents.

Methods: A nationwide population-based “Jeeluna = our adolescents’ population” data of 12000 school adolescents was collected in 2011–2012 in the 13 regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They were enrolled in intermediate and secondary schools and their age ranged from 10 to 19 years. The overall goal of the study was to determine the state of health and needs in “Jeeluna”. A multi-stage, stratified, cluster, random sampling strategy based on student population per region, district, gender, and school level was used to choose participants for this cross-sectional study. Allocating the sample size was in line with the number of students in the region. Computer-based randomized sampling was used to randomly select schools and classes within the chosen schools. In this growth study of “Jeeluna” data on growth was available in approximately 6200 boys, 5800 girls.

Results: The average mean differences in weight in girls after attaining their period; was 12-15 kg between 12-19 years. Female adolescents’ average height gains post-menarche was 5 cm, which goes with the international range wait gaining of 5-7 cm. In boys, the total weight gaining during adolescence was 25 kg equivalent to European values. The average difference in means of adolescent height between 12-19 years was 18 cm, less than the international data (20-25 cm during adolescence).

Conclusion: Saudi adolescents have peripubertal growth changes similar to those reported in Europe. Boys may be shorter than some Europeans because of less height gaining during puberty. Also, there is a tendency of further weight gaining post menarche in Saudi school girls, that warrant a national health promotion strategy. There is a need for longitudinal birth cohort studies in Saudi Arabia to assess growth in the prepubertal and pubertal periods.