Relationship of the short stature at 3 years old on the height, weight, and body mass index changes for 6 years after birth: a retrospective, nationwide, population-based study, children born at 2011-2014 in Korea.

PURPOSE: At 3 years of age, when growth inhibition due to birth history is compensated, the height is considered a major prognostic factor for evaluating short stature, underweight, and growth faltering in the future. However, large-scale studies that have followed and analyzed the height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) change in short stature at 3-year-old children are insufficient. This study followed-up and compared the growth parameters (height, weight, and BMI) for six years after birth between children with short statue at 3-years-old group and children with non-short stature at 3-years-old group in a nationwide population-based scale.

METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the national health screening program for infants and children (NHSPIC) physical measurement data of children born in 2011-2014 in Korea and followed to 2020, provided by the national health insurance service (NHIS) customized data service. Growth parameters were compared by Chi-square test, Student's t-test, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and linear regression.

RESULTS: Among 210,902 enrolled participants, 759 (0.4%) and 210,143 (99.6%) were in the short stature at 3-year-old group and the non-short stature at 3-year-old group, respectively. In both sexes, height, weight, and BMI for six years after birth were significantly higher in the non-short stature at 3-year-old group than those in the short stature at 3-year-old group (P<0.0001). The BMI rebound was also observed later than the standard period in the short stature at 3-year-old group.

CONCLUSIONS: Early intervention and close follow-up are necessary to prevent persistent short stature and growth faltering in children with short stature at 3-year-old.