[Changes in the physical development of Kiev schoolchildren over a ten-year period (1996-2008)].

Physical development and morphofunctional state were assessed in 2452 urban schoolchildren, by using the Ukrainian standards (intergroup regression scales). During their schooling, the Kiev schoolchildren of both sexes were shown to have significant qualitative and quantitative physical and morphofunctional worsening that was more obvious in boys. Not more than 57-59% of the Kiev children aged 6 to 17 years had normal physical development and harmonic morphofunctional state. Every six Kiev boys and every five girls had overweight and reduced chest circumference. In the period 1996-2008, there was significant weight gain without respective changes in chest circumference and height, which indicated an imbalance in growth processes and physical development in the present-day Kiev schoolchildren. Evaluation standards for schoolchildren's physical development were developed and put into practice of the state sanitary-and-epidemiological service of Ukraine.