[Body fat mass in boys and male adolescents].
OBJECTIVE
To describe the proportion of body fat mass, quantified from the measurement of 4 skinfold thickness, in a sample of male children of Zaragoza.


METHODS
In 1995, we have studied 701 males aged 6.0 to 14.9 years, from 6 schools of the province of Zaragoza. We have measured: weight, height, and biceps, triceps, subscapular and suprailiac skinfold thicknesses. Body density has been calculated from the 4 skinfold measurements, with the formulas of Sarría et al. Fat mass (%), was calculated with the Weststrate and Deurenberg's formulas. In each age group, we present mean, standard deviation and 5, 25, 50, 75 and 95th percentiles.


RESULTS
We present mean, standard deviation and 5, 25, 50, 75 and 95th percentiles of body fat mass (%), in each age group. Body fat mass (%) progressively increased until 10.5 years and, after, progressively decrease at least until 14.5 years.


CONCLUSIONS
We present data of body fat mass (%), calculated from the measurement of 4 skinfold thicknesses, obtained from a reference population in the province of Zaragoza. These data are useful as more rationale criteria in the diagnosis of obesity in children and adolescents.
Moreno Aznar
L A
LA
Departamento de Pediatría, Universidad de Zaragoza.
Fleta Zaragozano
J
J
Rodríguez Martínez
G
G
Sarría Chueca
A
A
Bueno Sánchez
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012885:Skinfold Thickness; D013030:Spain