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Assessment of protein reserves (cellular mass) in Aboriginal children
Insights
Body protein reserves are reduced in Aboriginal females compared to controls. This finding of lower cell mass in Aboriginal females is concerning due to early teenage pregnancies and potential zinc deficiencies.
Area of Science:
- Nutritional science
- Anthropology
- Public health
Background:
- Assessing body protein reserves is crucial for understanding nutritional status.
- Intracellular water serves as an indirect marker for cell mass and protein reserves.
- Aboriginal populations in Australia face unique health challenges.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine body protein reserves in free-living Aboriginal children and adolescents.
- To compare body composition parameters between Aboriginal and control groups.
- To investigate potential nutritional deficiencies, such as low plasma zinc.
Main Methods:
- Measurement of intracellular water to assess cell mass.
- Comparison of body composition relative to body length cubed.
- Study conducted on 51 Aboriginal individuals (31 males, 20 females) in Central and Northwestern Australia.
Main Results:
- Significant reductions in intracellular water (cell mass) relative to body length cubed were observed in Aboriginal females compared to controls.
- Marginal differences were noted for Aboriginal males when compared to controls.
- Aboriginal females exhibited significantly lower cell mass relative to body length cubed compared to Aboriginal males.
Conclusions:
- Aboriginal females demonstrate reduced body protein reserves (cell mass) compared to control females.
- The observed reductions in cell mass are concerning, particularly given the high incidence of early teenage pregnancies in this demographic.
- Low plasma zinc concentrations were frequently observed, warranting further investigation into trace metal status.
Abstract:
The body protein reserves, assessed indirectly by the measurement of intracellular water, was determined in free-living Aboriginal children and adolescents located in Central and Northwestern Australia. Fifty one individuals were studied--31 males and 20 females. Significant reductions were observed in intracellular water or cell mass relative to the cube of body length for Aboriginal females when compared to a control female group. Only marginal or borderline differences for the same parameters were observed when Aboriginal males were compared with controls. Comparison of Aboriginal females with Aboriginal males demonstrated significant reductions in cell mass (intracellular water) relative to body length cubed in the female. This finding in the Aboriginal female is of concern because many become pregnant in the early teenage years. Evidence was found during the course of this study that plasma zinc concentrations were frequently low. This led to a concomitant study on serum and plasma trace metals in two Aboriginal settlements (364 individuals) to be published in a subsequent paper.