International Journal of Epidemiology, Vol 28, 287-292, Copyright © 1999 by International Epidemiological Association
KD Monyeki, FJ van Lenthe and NP Steyn
BACKGROUND: Total body fatness and a centripetal fat patterning are
recognized as risk indicators of cardiovascular disease in adulthood. In
this study, the development of these risk factors in rural South African
children during the preschool years and first years of formal schooling is
explored. METHOD: The initial cross-sectional data from the Ellisras
Longitudinal Investigations in Rural Community Children Project, ongoing
since 1996, were used, involving 684 boys and 652 girls, aged 3-10 years,
in the Ellisras rural community. Overweight was measured using the body
mass index (BMI) (kg/m2). Overfatness was based on the sum of the triceps
and subscapular skinfold thicknesses. A centripetal fat patterning was
measured by the sum of trunk skinfolds relative to limb skinfolds and the
ratio of the subscapular to triceps skinfold. Further, the ratio of the
subscapular to supraspinale skinfold was used as an indicator of lower body
fat patterning. The 85th percentiles of the NHANES III were used as cutoff
values for overweight, overfatness and a centripetal fat patterning.
RESULTS: At ages 7 and 8 years, mean BMI was statistically significantly
higher in males compared to females (P < 0.05). The log transformed
supraspinale skinfold thickness was larger in females compared to males at
ages 4-7 years; the log transformed subscapular skinfold was larger in
girls compared to boys aged 7-10 years. Less clear patterns were found for
the extremity skinfolds and the skinfold ratios. Very few children (0- 2.5%
in males and 0-4.3% in females) had BMI values above the NHANES III 85th
percentiles, indicating a very low prevalence of overweight children in the
area. About 15% of the males showed overfatness at ages 3-4 years, while
low prevalence was found at older ages. CONCLUSION: Few Ellisras rural
children had above normal values for BMI, indicating a low prevalence of
obesity in this population. In the 3- and 4-year- old group more subjects
were found to have excessive fat, as indicated by the sum of the triceps
and subscapular skinfold thicknesses.
ARTICLES
Obesity: does it occur in African children in a rural community in South Africa?
Kinesiology and Physical Education Department, University of the North, Sovenga, South Africa.
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