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Anthropometric assessment of body size differences of full-term male and female infants
R L Copper1, R L Goldenberg, S P Cliver
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Alabama, Birmingham.
Insights
Female newborns are shorter with smaller circumferences but have more subcutaneous fat than males. The ponderal index is not a reliable measure of fatness when comparing genders in infants.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal anthropometry
- Pediatric endocrinology
- Human growth and development
Background:
- Understanding infant anthropometry is crucial for assessing neonatal health and development.
- Previous research indicates potential sex-based variations in infant body composition.
- Standardized anthropometric measurements are essential for accurate comparisons.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and quantify gender-specific differences in anthropometric characteristics of full-term newborn infants.
- To compare length, circumference, and subcutaneous fat deposition between male and female newborns.
- To evaluate the utility of the ponderal index in assessing fatness across sexes.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 1,205 term newborn infants was studied.
- Standardized protocols were employed for all anthropometric measurements, including length and skinfold thickness.
- Regression analysis was used to adjust for confounding variables.
Main Results:
- Female infants exhibited significantly smaller length and circumference measurements compared to male infants.
- Subcutaneous fat deposition was significantly greater in female infants than in male infants.
- No significant difference in the ponderal index was observed between sexes, indicating its limited utility for cross-gender fatness comparison.
Conclusions:
- Female newborns possess more subcutaneous fat despite being smaller in length and circumference than males.
- The ponderal index is not a suitable indicator of fatness when comparing male and female newborns.
- Increased subcutaneous fat in female infants may contribute to improved neonatal outcomes.
Objective:
To determine gender-specific differences in anthropometric characteristics of full-term male and female infants.
Methods:
Twelve hundred five term newborn infants were examined. All measures of length and skinfold thickness were performed in a standardized manner.
Results:
After adjusting for confounding variables by regression analysis, we found that nearly all length and circumference measurements were significantly smaller in female infants than in male infants but that subcutaneous fat deposition in female infants was significantly increased. However, there was no difference in the ponderal index between male and female newborns, indicating that this measure does not correlate with newborn fat deposition across the sexes.
Conclusions:
Despite being shorter and having smaller circumferences, female infants have more subcutaneous fat than male infants. The ponderal index is not useful as a measure of fatness when the sexes are compared. We speculate that the greater subcutaneous fat deposition in female infants may be related to their better neonatal outcomes.