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Skinfolds in affluent Punjabi preschool children
N Raizada1, H Singh, R C Bhatia
1Department of Pediatrics, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, Punjab.
Insights
This study measured skinfold thickness in 941 Indian children aged 0-5 years. Results showed thickness peaked at 1 year, with girls having higher values, and Indian children
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Anthropometry
- Growth Monitoring
Background:
- Assessing childhood growth is crucial for identifying nutritional status.
- Standardized anthropometric measurements, like skinfold thickness, are key indicators.
- Establishing age- and sex-specific reference data is essential for optimal growth assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To measure and analyze skinfold thickness at triceps, subscapular, and suprailiac sites in Indian children aged 0-5 years.
- To compare these measurements with established British reference values.
- To provide data for potential norm development for Indian children's growth.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Holtain Skin Fold Caliper for measurements.
- Sampled 941 optimally growing children from affluent families in Ludhiana, Punjab.
- Measured skinfold thickness at three sites: triceps, subscapular, and suprailiac.
Main Results:
- Mean skinfold thickness increased up to 1 year, then decreased until 5 years in both sexes.
- Girls exhibited higher skinfold thickness values across all age groups.
- Triceps skinfold thickness was consistently the highest, followed by subscapular and suprailiac.
- No significant correlation found between body weight and skinfold thickness (mean r = 0.09).
- Indian children's triceps and suprailiac skinfold thickness were lower than British values.
- Subscapular skinfold thickness was comparable to British values in females and males over 3 years.
Conclusions:
- Indian children's subcutaneous fat patterns differ from British norms, particularly in triceps and suprailiac sites.
- The findings suggest a need for region-specific growth references.
- Further large-scale, multicentric studies are recommended to establish reliable Indian pediatric growth norms.
Abstract:
The skinfold thickness at three different sites (triceps, subscapular and suprailiac) were measured using Holtain Skin Fold Caliper in 941 children of 0-5 years of age. The sample consisted of children from affluent families of Ludhiana (Punjab) in order to include only the optimally growing children. The skinfold thickness at all the three sites showed a progressive rise in mean values upto the age of 1 year and thereafter the trend was downwards till the age of 5 years in both the sexes. The values were higher in girls in all age groups. The mean triceps skinfold thickness was the highest followed by subscapular and suprailiac thickness in both sexes in almost all age groups. There was no correlation between the body weight and skinfold thickness values (mean r value = 0.09). Triceps and suprailiac skinfold thickness were significantly lower than the corresponding British values in both the sexes in all age groups. However, the subscapular values were comparable with British values in the females of all age groups and also in males above three years of age. Larger multicentric studies are recommended to frame the norms for Indian children.