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Infant Body Composition in an Asian Pacific Islander Population
Kara N Wong Ramsey1, James D Davis2, John S Tanaka3
1University of Hawaii Department of Pediatrics, John A Burns School of Medicine and Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children, 1319 Punahou St, Honolulu, HI, 96826, USA. karawong@hawaii.edu.
Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities
|November 10, 2022
Summary
Infant body composition varies by race, with Asian and Pacific Islander newborns having higher body fat than some Caucasian groups. These findings suggest existing data may not apply universally.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Human Physiology
- Anthropometry
Background:
- Existing infant body composition data primarily represent Caucasian populations.
- Potential racial and ethnic variations in infant body composition are not well-documented.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine and compare infant body composition in Asian and Pacific Islander newborns.
- To contrast these findings with existing data from Caucasian infants.
Main Methods:
- Air displacement plethysmography (ADP) using the PEA POD® system measured body composition.
- Study included 249 healthy newborns in Hawaii, a predominantly Asian and Pacific Islander population.
- Statistical analysis involved t-tests adjusted for false discovery rate.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in body fat percentage were observed among Asian, Pacific Islander, or mixed Asian-Pacific Islander infants.
- Asian and Pacific Islander infants exhibited significantly higher body fat percentages compared to Caucasian infants from Italy.
- No significant differences were found when compared to Caucasian infants from New York.
Conclusions:
- Racial and geographical disparities in infant body composition at birth are evident.
- Existing air displacement plethysmography (ADP) nomograms require cautious interpretation.
- Further research is needed on factors influencing infant body composition and its link to cardiometabolic health.
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