Modifications of adiposity in school-age children according to nutritional status: a 20-year analysis

To analyze adiposity changes in school-age children over a 20 year-period, according to nutritional status.

The study is part of the Ilhabela Longitudinal Mixed Project on Growth, Development and Physical Fitness. A sample of 1,095 school students of both sexes, from 7 to 10 years, met the following inclusion criteria: (a) at least one complete assessment in one of the analyzed periods; (b) to be in prepubertal stage of sexual maturation; (c) to be apparently healthy. The periods analyzed were 1990/1991 (initial), 2000/2001 (10 years) and 2010/2011 (20 years). The variables analyzed were: body weight, height and adiposity through individual analysis of each skinfold. Children were classified as eutrophic, overweight and obese, according to the curves of body mass index for age and sex proposed by the World Health Organization. The statistical analysis used was one-way ANOVA, followed by Scheffé's post-hoc test, with p < 0.01.

In boys, the largest increase occurred in the overweight group, followed by the obese and eutrophic groups. In girls, the largest increases occurred in the groups with overweight and eutrophic children, followed by the obese group.

During the 20-year period analyzed, there were changes in adiposity, even when the nutritional status was controlled, showing that individuals who have similar body mass indexes may vary in proportion and distribution of subcutaneous adipose tissue. In both sexes, the increase was higher in the overweight group, and mainly in central skinfolds.