Secular change in newborn adiposity in an urban hospital

Triceps and subscapular skinfold thickness were measured in 1080 consecutive newborns and the values were compared with an earlier study reported in 1981 from the same institution. The skinfold thickness in the present study was higher at all gestational age groups (except for 41 weeks) in both sexes. These differences were statistically significant at all periods except for males at 38 weeks and females at 39 weeks. For term infants, the mean skin fold thickness (subscapular and triceps) was significantly higher among both males (3.5 mm vs 4.0 mm; p< 0.05) and females (3.9 mm vs. 4.2 mm; p <0.05). The subscapular skin fold thickness in both males and females and triceps skin fold thickness in females were also significantly higher for all birthweight categories. The data suggests an increase in adiposity among newborns, over a period of two decades, in an urban poor population.