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A cross-sectional study of subcutaneous fat in well-off north west Indian children
1Department of Anthropology, Panjab University, Chandigarh.
Insights
Indian children aged 6-16 from Chandigarh exhibited greater skinfold thicknesses compared to British standards, with girls showing higher measurements. Reduced physical activity may contribute to this observed childhood fatness.
Area of Science:
- Anthropometry
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Public Health Nutrition
Background:
- Childhood obesity is a growing global concern, necessitating regional data for accurate assessment.
- Understanding body composition variations in children is crucial for identifying health risks.
- Previous studies suggest potential differences in growth patterns across diverse populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine mean skinfold thicknesses at various sites in well-off Indian children aged 6-16 years.
- To compare these measurements with established British growth standards.
- To explore potential factors influencing observed body composition patterns.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study involving 589 boys and 566 girls (6-16 years) from Chandigarh, India.
- Measurement of skinfold thicknesses at triceps, biceps, subscapular, and suprailiac sites.
- Statistical analysis of attained means and standard deviations, with comparison to British reference data.
Main Results:
- Girls consistently displayed higher mean skinfold thicknesses throughout the studied age range.
- Boys exhibited a pre-adolescent increase in limb skinfolds, followed by a notable decrease.
- Northwest Indian children showed larger triceps and subscapular skinfold thicknesses, often exceeding the 75th percentile compared to British standards.
Conclusions:
- Well-off Indian children in Chandigarh present with greater subcutaneous fat accumulation than their British counterparts.
- Sex-specific patterns in skinfold development are evident during childhood and adolescence.
- Sedentary lifestyles are identified as a significant potential contributor to the observed increased fatness.
Abstract:
Attained means and standard deviations of the skinfold thicknesses at triceps, biceps, subscapular and suprailiac sites are presented for 6-16 yr old 589 boys and 566 girls belonging to well-off families residing in Chandigarh, north west India. Girls had larger means throughout the growing period. Limb skinfolds in boys showed a pre-adolescent fatwave followed by a marked decrease in the means. Compared to the British standards, well-off north west Indians had larger triceps and subscapular skinfold thicknesses being closer/above the 75th centile. This agreed well with the observations of earlier workers. Among the possible influencing factors for the fatness of these children, lack of physical activity appeared to be a major one.