Body frame variation and adiposity in development, a mixed-longitudinal study of "Cape Coloured" children

The obesity epidemic is impacting both developed and undeveloped countries worldwide. It has only been recently that wide scale public campaigning has focused on prevention rather than intervention. Individual variations in food metabolism and energy expenditure may be responsible for much of the adiposity present amongst individuals. This article studies individual variation in relationship between lean trunk size and adiposity.

A mixed longitudinal growth study was conducted between 1986 and 1995 among urban and rural "Cape Coloured" schoolchildren from the Western Cape Province of South Africa. The sample consists of 127 females and 130 males between the ages of 6 and 20 years measured 6-9 times each. Correlations between age-standardized triceps, subscapular and abdominal skinfold thicknesses and quotient indices obtained by expressing trunk length, lower limb, and upper limb lengths and bi-acromial and bi-iliocristal diameters as percentages of body height were explored for each year of growth.

Significant correlation coefficients (P < 0.05) between 0.087 and 0.511 were found in both males and females, between bi-acromial and bi-iliocristal indices and three skinfold thicknesses, but not between trunk and limb lengths and skinfolds.

Skeletal frame width and amount of adiposity are correlated. The correlation persists longitudinally throughout childhood and adolescence in individuals living in very poor, as well as, in good environmental conditions.