Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 31, 2026
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Body fat differences by self-reported race/ethnicity in healthy term newborns
1Department of Pediatrics, St. Luke's - Roosevelt Hospital, New York, NY, USA.
Insights
Ethnic and sex disparities in infant body fat are evident at birth. These early differences in fat mass (FM) may influence long-term health trajectories.
Area of Science:
- Human Development
- Pediatric Health
- Body Composition Analysis
Background:
- Ethnic variations in total body fat (fat mass [FM]) are documented in adults and children.
- The onset of these ethnic differences, specifically at birth, remains largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if ethnic differences in body fat are present in healthy newborns at birth.
- To analyze fat distribution using skin-fold thickness measurements.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study of 332 healthy, term infants from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds (Asian, African-American, White, Hispanic).
- Body fat was quantified using air displacement plethysmography within 1-3 days of birth.
- Covariates included infant age, birth weight, gestational age, and maternal pre-pregnancy weight.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in FM were observed based on race (P=0.0011), sex (P=0.0051), and a race by sex interaction (P=0.0236).
- Females generally had higher FM than males within White (P=0.0001) and African-American (P=0.0205) groups.
- White males had lower FM compared to Asian (P=0.0353) and Hispanic males (P=0.0001).
Conclusions:
- Ethnic and sex disparities in fat mass are present in healthy term newborns.
- These early differences may have implications for understanding later-life disease risk.
- Further research, including in utero and birth studies, is crucial for a life-course perspective on health.
Background:
Ethnic differences in total body fat (fat mass [FM]) have been reported in adults and children, but the timing of when these differences manifest and whether they are present at birth are unknown.
Objectives:
This study aimed to assess whether ethnic differences in body fat are present at birth in healthy infants born at term, where body fat is measured using air displacement plethysmography and fat distribution by skin-fold thickness.
Methods:
Data were from a multiracial cross-sectional convenience sample of 332 term infants from four racial or ethnic groups based on maternal self-report (A, Asian; AA, non-Hispanic Black [African-American]; C, non-Hispanic White; and H, Hispanic). The main outcome measure was infant body fat at 1-3 days after birth, with age, birth weight, gestational age and maternal pre-pregnancy weight as covariates.
Results:
Significant effects for race (P = 0.0011), sex (P = 0.0051) and a race by sex interaction (P = 0.0236) were found. C females had higher FM than C males (P = 0.0001), and AA females had higher FM than AA males (P = 0.0205). C males had less FM than A males (P = 0.0353) and H males (P = 0.0001).
Conclusion:
Race/ethnic and sex differences in FM are present in healthy term newborns. Although the implications of these differences are unclear, studies beginning in utero and birth set the stage for a life course approach to understanding disease later in life.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:52Regression Toward the Mean
01:02Hypodermis
01:24Obesity
01:21Drug Dosing: Obese Patients
01:17Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution
01:30Development of Human Microbiota