[Anthropometric and nutritional study of full-term newborns. Evaluation of the submandibular adipose skinfold]

We performed an anthropometric study in a series of normal full-term newborns to evaluate the discriminatory capabilities of the submandibular skinfold compared to other anthropometric parameters.

We studied 794 consecutive Caucasian newborns, 377 males and 471 females, with a mean gestational age of 39.5 +/- 0.9 weeks and adequate weights for age. Anthropometric variables analyzed included weight, length, left arm circumference and bicipital, tricipital, subscapular, suprailiac and submandibular skinfolds. Statistical analysis was performed by using the Student's t-test to evaluate differences between the different parameters and by Pearson's test to look for correlations among them.

The weight and lengths of male newborns were significantly higher than those of female newborns (p < 0.005) These parameters showed differences with other series of newborns studied. Measurements of the tricipital, subscapular and suprailiac skinfolds were significantly different between males and females (p < 0.005); however, bicipital and submandibular skinfolds were not. The submandibular skinfold measurement highly correlated with the other skinfold measurements, especially with the bicipital measurement, in both males (0.536; p < 0.0001) and females (0.578; p < 0.001). Submandibular skinfold measurements also correlated with weight and arm circumference in both sexes.

Some somatometric measurements in normal term newborns differ significantly between the sexes, especially weight, length and tricipital, subscapular and suprailiac skinfolds. The submandibular skinfold correlates well with weight, arm circumference and the four routinely measured skinfolds. This finding suggests that measurement of the submandibular skinfold should be included in the evaluation of the newborn's nutritional status.