FAT MASS ASSESSMENT IN SCHOOL CHILDREN
Abstract:
Background. The body weight excess reached a
dramatic incidence in the world during the last years and
it is expected to rise. The aim of the study was to assess
the extension of adipose tissue mass in school children to
detect the gender differences in their dynamics before
puberty in order to predict obesity. Subjects and methods:
1,687 healthy school children, 879 girls and 808 boys,
aged 5.10 – 11.7 years from urban areas in the north of
Transylvania. The body weight and height; the tricipital,
subscapular and abdominal skin fold thickness were
measured. The fat mass percentage was calculated from
the body mass index by Martarelli’s equation. Results: the
fat mass increased from 8.33±2.6 % to 11.89±5.4 % in
girls and from 3.12±0.7 % to 4.1±2.3 in boys. The skin
folds showed a more significant decrease at the age of 7
years in both genders and higher values were noted in the
girls. Conclusions: the body fat mass in school children
was higher in girls than in boys and it increased during
the age of 6 – 12 years. The skin fold thickness was more
evident at the age of 7 in both genders.
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