Growth and bone maturation in children from two regions of the F.R.G. differing in the degree of air pollution: results of the 1974 and 1984 surveys.

Growth and bone maturation criteria were used in this collaborative study to assess the potential health risk posed by excessive air pollutant emission. The study consisted of two surveys carried out 10 years apart. During this decade, a substantial emission reduction through the effective control efforts was achieved in the index area, but not so in the reference area where the situation remained virtually unchanged during this period. In terms of body height and height-weight proportionality, no significant differences were found between areas and years of investigation. In contrast, the bone age retardation encountered in the children from the polluted area was statistically significant, both at 1974 and 1984 surveys, despite the appreciable improvement in this developmental criterion for boys in 1984. This was true for both group mean values and the percentages of individuals exhibiting the bone maturation delay greater than 10 months.