[Secular increase of adipose tissue in adolescents from Zaragoza from 1980 to 1995]. / Incremento secular del tejido adiposo en adolescentes zaragozanos desde 1980 hasta 1995.

BACKGROUND: To quantify the differences between anthropometric measurements obtained nowadays in male and female adolescents and those obtained 15 years ago in a sample of similar characteristics. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We have studied 658 healthy individuals, 329 males and 329 females from 10.0 to 15.0 years of age, from different socioeconomic levels. Weight, height, arm circumference and left skinfold thickness (biceps, triceps, subscapular and suprailiac) have been measured. We have calculated the body mass index (BMI), density, total body fat, percentage of body fat and the body adipose muscular index (BAMI), which is the ratio between body fat (kg) and non fat mass (kg). The values obtained have been compared with those obtained fifteen years ago, in another sample of 1,465 children with similar characteristics. The research team and the material used were the same in both studies. Mean differences were compared using the unpaired t-test. RESULTS: Weight has increased significantly (p < 0.05), except for males at 12 years and females at 13 and at 14 years. Height has increased significantly at all ages and in males and females (p < 0.05). BMI has only increased significantly at 10 and at 11 years in males, and at 10 years in females. Skinfold thicknesses have also increased significantly, except for biceps in males between ages of 12 and 14 years and biceps and subscapular in females at 14 years. Body fat mass and percentage of body fat have also increased significantly and, in consequence, the density has decreased and BAMI has increased both significantly (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Secular increase in weight and height during fifteen years has occurred. In general, BMI has not increased but skinfold thicknesses and body fat have increased significantly, this fact demonstrates that there has been increase in the body fat compartment.

[Secular trends of body adipose tissue in prepubertal children]. / Tendencia secular del tejido adiposo corporal en niños prepúberes.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether there is a significant difference between anthropometric measurements of prepubertal children and the measurements of another sample with similar characteristics, studied fifteen years ago. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We studied 859 children, 453 males and 406 females, from the age of 5.0 to 10.0 years. Weight, height, arm circumference and skinfold thicknesses in the biceps, triceps, subscapular and suprailiac were determined. Body mass index, body density, total fat and percentage fat were calculated and their values compared with those obtained 15 years ago in 1,617 children with similar characteristics. Difference between means were calculated with Student's single-sample t-test. RESULTS: Weight increased in all the ages, with significant differences in males at 7, 8 and 9 years (p<0.001) and in females after the age of 6 years (p< 0.05). Height significantly increased at all ages and in both sexes, except in females at the age of 5 years. Body mass index increased only at the ages of 8 and 9 years in males (p<0.01). Skinfold thicknesses significantly increased in both sexes and at all ages (p<0.05). Body density decreased (p<0.01) and body fat increased, both in kilograms and in percentage (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: During the 15 years studied, height and weight increased significantly. Body mass index did not increase significantly, whereas body fat (skinfold thicknesses and fat compartment) significantly increased.

[Physical activity and leisure time in children. I: Relation to socioeconomic status]. / Actividad física y ocio en jóvenes. I: Influencia del nivel socioeconómico.

OBJECTIVE: To assess physical activity and leisure time activities in relation to socioeconomic status. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We have studied 1,078 boys and girls from 24 schools from areas of different geographical and socioeconomical status. Physical activity and leisure time activities were assessed by a questionnaire. RESULTS: We have observed that adolescents spend more time watching T.V. than doing physical activity (p = 0.0001). In general, boys prefer strong physical activity. Children from the lowest socioeconomic families did less physical activity than children from the highest socioeconomic families (p < or = 0.05). In girls, those with the lowest socioeconomic status spent the greatest amount of time watching T.V. (p = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: From our results, we deduce that we must improve physical activity habits in children, especially in those from the lowest socioeconomic families.

[Physical activity and leisure time in children. II: Relationship with dietary habits]. / Actividad física y ocio en jóvenes. II: Relación con los hábitos dietéticos.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between physical activity, leisure time activities and dietary habits in adolescents. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We have studied 541 girls and 537 boys from 24 schools. Physical activity, leisure time activities and dietary habits were assessed by 3 different questionnaires, taking into account one week of normal activity and diet. RESULTS: Foods such as milk, fish, meat, egg, fruits, vegetables, pasta and snacks were consumed more frequently in children who spent more time doing sport, but difference were not statistically significant. Boys who spent more time watching T.V. ate greater amounts of almost all foods (p < 0.05). In girls, we have observed the same results, but differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Sports and T.V. watching are both related to a greater amount of food intake From our results we can deduce that in order to prevent obesity, and other cardiovascular risk factors, we must improve food intake related with sedentary habits.

[Assessment of the submandibular adipose skinfold for the determination of a nutritional status in children and adolescents]. / Valoración del pliegue adiposo submandibular para la determinación del estado nutricional en la infancia y adolescencia.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to show the validity of a new skinfold thickness for measuring nutritional status in children. We also compare submandibular skinfold thickness with other anthropometric measures and indices. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We have studied 899 boys and 837 girls between 3.0 and 15.1 years of age. All of them were healthy and from different socioeconomic statuses. We measured weight, height, obesity indices, circumferences, indices of body fat distribution and indices of body fat. Data were divided according to age and sex. We calculated the percentiles of submandibular skinfold thickness and correlations between this parameter and all other measurements were performed. The mean values of the two sexes were compared by using Student's t-test. RESULTS: Submandibular skinfold is an easy and fast skinfold to measure. Its value is maximum at 10 and 11 years in girls and boys, respectively. This measurement is higher in girls than in boys at 5, 7, 10, 13 and 14 years of age (p < 0.05). There was a high correlation between this skinfold value and almost all of the measurements and indices studied, especially with the body mass index (r = 0.589), the sum of the four conventional skinfolds (r = 0.844), arm circumference (r = 0.513), arm fat area (r = 0.776) and percentage body fat (r = 0.830). CONCLUSIONS: Submandibular skinfold thickness in children and adolescents shows a high correlation with body fat indices. It is for this reason that it could be used as a new measurement to assess nutritional status and obesity in children.

[Fat distribution in children and adolescents of both sexes]. / Distribución de la grasa en niños y adolescentes de ambos sexos.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe anthropometric indexes of fat distribution in 6.0 to 14.9 year old children and to estimate the timing of differentiation of fat patterning in male and female children and adolescents. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We have studied a sample of 1,360 children (701 boys and 659 girls) from Zaragoza, Spain. We have measured triceps and subscapular skinfold thicknessess and waist and hip circumferences. With these measurements, we have calculated the indexes of fat distribution including waist-to-hip circumference ratio and triceps-to-subscapular skinfold thickness ratio. We present the percentiles of these indexes. RESULTS: All percentiles of the waist-to-hip ratio were higher in males than in females. Percentiles 5, 50 and 95 of the triceps-to-subscapular skinfold thickness ratio showed similar values in males and females, except that percentile 95 was higher in males than in females after 10.5 years. CONCLUSIONS: The waist-to-hip ratio seems to define earlier the pattern of fat distribution in children than does the triceps-to-subscapular skinfold thickness ratio. If we take into account the waist-to-hip ratio, the pattern of fat distribution is already present in school age children.

Tendencia secular del tejido adiposo corporal en niños prepúberes / Secular trends of body adipose tissue in prepubertal children

Objetivo : Demostrar si existe diferencia significativa entre las medidas antropométricas de niños prepúberes con las medidas de otra muestra de parecidas características estudiada 15 años antes. Material y métodos Se han estudiado 859 niños, 453 varones y 406 mujeres, de 5,0-10,0 años de edad. Se han determinado en ellos peso, talla, perímetro del brazo izquierdo y pliegues cutáneos de bíceps, tríceps, subescapular y suprailíaco. También se han calculado el índice de masa corporal, densidad corporal, grasa total y porcentaje de grasa. Sus valores se han comparado con los obtenidos hace 15 años en 1.617 niños de similares características. Estadística: cálculo de la diferencia entre medias mediante el test de la t de Student para datos no apareados. Resultados El peso se ha incrementado en todas las edades, con diferencias significativas en varones de 7, 8 y 9 años (p < 0,001) y a partir de los 6 años en mujeres (p < 0,05). La talla se ha incrementado significativamente en todas las edades y en ambos sexos, excepto en las mujeres de 5 años. El índice de masa corporal sólo se ha incrementado a los 8 y 9 años en varones (p < 0,01) y los pliegues cutáneos han aumentado significativamente en ambos sexos en todas las edades (p < 0,05). La densidad corporal ha disminuido (p < 0,01) y la grasa corporal se ha incrementado, tanto en porcentaje como en kilos totales (p < 0,01). Conclusiones Se evidencia un aumento significativo de la talla y el peso a lo largo de los 15 años estudiados. Se demuestra que el índice de masa corporal, en conjunto, no se ha aumentado significativamente, mientras que se observa un aumento de la grasa corporal, objetivado por un aumento significativo de los pliegues cutáneos y del compartimiento graso corporal (AU)