Evaluation of the growth-development status of preschool children in Van province

This study examined the relationship between growth, development, eating habits, and socioeconomic factors in 452 children aged 3 to 5 years in Van, Turkey (May–June 2024). The research included children from various socioeconomic backgrounds and analyzed parents' socioeconomic status, children's dietary habits, and detailed anthropometric measurements (height, weight, BMI, head circumference, head length, head width, waist circumference, hip circumference, chest circumference, shoulder width, arm span, bust height, total arm length, upper arm length, forearm length, biceps circumference, elbow width, wrist width, lower body height, lower leg length, upper leg length, knee height, lower knee width, and ankle width) using SPSS 21. According to the findings, anthropometric measurements increased with age. One of the key results showed that low socioeconomic status negatively affected children's physical development (height, head circumference, limb length). While 66.8% of the children were of normal weight, the rate of underweight children decreased with age, whereas the rate of overweight children increased. The majority of the sample had height measurements within the normal range. The study highlights that developmental processes are shaped by both genetic and environmental interactions, with socioeconomic factors playing a significant role.