Physical fitness in Belarusian children with chronic gastritis

Background: Chronic gastritis is a common pediatric condition characterized by inflammation of the gastric mucosa. Its potential impact on children’s growth and physical development remains underexplored. This study aimed to assess the relationship between chronic gastritis and physical development in Belarusian children, focusing on height and body mass index (BMI) compared to WHO growth standards. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional review was conducted on 100 pediatric patients diagnosed with chronic gastritis in 2023 at Grodno Regional Clinical Pediatric Hospital, Belarus. Growth indicators were analyzed using AnthroPlus software, with Z scores for height-for-age and BMI-for-age calculated and compared against WHO reference values. Results: Among the 100 children (76% female, mean age 13 years), height-for-age z-scores demonstrated a rightward shift, indicating taller stature compared to WHO standards. Conversely, BMI-for-age z-scores showed a leftward shift, reflecting lower BMI values. This disproportionate growth pattern tall stature with lean body composition was more pronounced in girls and persisted across age groups, particularly in middle and high school children. Conclusions: Chronic gastritis in children appears to negatively influence physical development by reducing BMI, despite an unexpected trend toward increased height. These findings highlight the importance of monitoring growth trajectories and addressing nutritional and metabolic factors in pediatric patients with chronic gastritis. Further multi-center studies are needed to validate these results and clarify underlying mechanisms.