Evidence for relatively greater subcutaneous fat deposition in stunted girls in the North West Province, South Africa, as compared with non-stunted girls

We examined differences in body composition between stunted and non-stunted girls, with adjustments for confounding factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a representative sample of 478 African school girls, ages 10 to 15 y, in the North West Province, South Africa. Height, weight, skinfo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.) Los Angeles County, Calif.), 2004-06, Vol.20 (6), p.564-569
Main Authors: Kruger, H.Salome, Margetts, Barrie M, Vorster, Hester H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adipose Tissue - physiology
Adolescent
adolescents
African Continental Ancestry Group - statistics & numerical data
Age
Analysis of Variance
Anthropology. Demography
anthropometric measurements
Anthropometry - methods
arm circumference
Biological and medical sciences
body composition
Body Composition - physiology
body fat
Body mass index
Child
child growth
Children & youth
Confounding Factors (Epidemiology)
Cross-Sectional Studies
Developing countries
Diet - statistics & numerical data
Diet Records
diet-related diseases
Energy
energy intake
Energy Intake - physiology
Exercise
Female
Girls
Growth Disorders - epidemiology
growth retardation
human diseases
Human physiology applied to population studies and life conditions. Human ecophysiology
Humans
LDCs
Medical sciences
Motor Activity - physiology
nutrient intake
nutritional status
Obesity
Overweight
physical activity
school children
Skinfold Thickness
South Africa
South Africa - epidemiology
stunting
subcutaneous fat
Subcutaneous Tissue - physiology
waist circumference
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Summary:We examined differences in body composition between stunted and non-stunted girls, with adjustments for confounding factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a representative sample of 478 African school girls, ages 10 to 15 y, in the North West Province, South Africa. Height, weight, skinfold thicknesses, and waist and mid upper arm circumferences were measured by trained biokineticists using standard methods. Trained fieldworkers measured dietary intakes by 24-h recall, and physical activity was measured by using the physical activity recall of the previous day. Body mass index and physical activity category were calculated. Stunted girls had significantly lower weight and skinfold thicknesses than did non-stunted ones. After including the covariates: age, years since menarche, school, type of housing, dietary energy and fat intakes, physical activity category, body weight, and stratum of urbanization in analysis of variance, the mean sum of triceps skinfold and subscapular skinfold thicknesses of stunted girls was greater than that of the non-stunted girls ( P < 0.002). Stunted subjects were less active than non-stunted ones. This manifestation of relatively more subcutaneous fat and greater waist circumference in stunted girls may be involved in the development of obesity among black women in South Africa.
ISSN:0899-9007
1873-1244
DOI:10.1016/j.nut.2004.03.002