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The San Antonio Biethnic Children's Blood Pressure Study: anthropometric findings
S W Menard1, M K Park, J Scholfield
1Department of Family Nursing Care, University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio 78284, USA. menard@uthscsa.edu
Insights
Mexican-American children, particularly males, tend to be heavier and have higher body mass indexes (BMIs) than non-Hispanic white children. These anthropometric differences highlight potential early risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Anthropometry
- Public Health
Background:
- Cardiovascular diseases and diabetes are prevalent, with increased weight and body mass index (BMI) as known risk factors.
- Early detection of disease precursors in children is crucial for long-term health outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To obtain anthropometric measurements correlating with children's blood pressure.
- To compare these measurements between Mexican-American (M-A) and non-Hispanic White (W) children (males and females).
- To inform healthcare providers about normal weight and BMI ranges for early risk factor detection.
Main Methods:
- Anthropometric measurements (weight, height, BMI, skinfold thickness, arm circumference) collected from 4,195 M-A and 2,039 W children (K-12).
- Data analyzed statistically and related to age.
- Comparison of measurements across four subgroups: M-A males, M-A females, W males, W females.
Main Results:
- M-A males were heavier than W males across all ages.
- M-A females were heavier than W females until age 11, with the trend reversing by ages 14-18.
- All subgroups showed a skew toward obesity (BMI > 30 kg/m²).
- M-A children were shorter than W children from age 5.
- M-A children had higher BMI and skinfold thickness (subscapular and triceps) than W children, with females showing greater values.
- Significant increases in weight with stable height observed across all subgroups since last growth charts.
Conclusions:
- Significant anthropometric differences exist between M-A and W children, and between genders.
- These differences, including higher BMI and skinfold thickness in M-A children, indicate potential increased risk for obesity-related diseases.
- Findings underscore the need for ethnicity- and gender-specific growth monitoring and early intervention strategies.
Abstract:
Cardiovascular diseases and diabetes are very prevalent today, and early detection of the precursors of these diseases is important. Increased weight and body mass indexes (BMIs) are known to be risk factors for these adult diseases. The objectives of this portion of the study were to obtain anthropometric measurements known to correlate with children's blood pressure levels and to compare these measurements among Mexican-American (M-A) females and males and non-Hispanic white (W) females and males. These data will allow healthcare providers to know normal weights and BMIs for different ethnic groups so that early detection of risk factors can be done. Anthropometric measurements (weight, height, BMI, subscapular and triceps skinfold thickness, and arm circumference) were obtained on 4,195 M-A and 2,039 W children in kindergarten through 12th grade in two school districts in the San Antonio, Texas, area. Data were statistically analyzed and related to age. M-A males had a tendency to be heavier than W males throughout the ages studied. M-A females had a tendency to be heavier than W females until 11 years of age, but that trend was reversed between ages 14 and 18. For all four subgroups, there was a marked skewness toward obesity based on BMI (kg/m2). Height of M-A children beginning as early as 5 years of age was slightly but significantly (P > or = .05) less than that of W children of the same gender. M-A males and females had either a tendency for or significantly higher values (P > or = .05) for BMI than W counterparts. M-A children had larger subscapular and triceps skinfold thickness than their W counterparts, with females showing greater values than males. The data indicate that there are several important differences in weight, height, BMI, and skinfold thickness between M-A and W children and between boys and girls as noted above. There are also considerable increases in weight with a relatively stable height in all four subgroups since the last published growth charts.