Physical growth assessment in adolescence.
OBJECTIVE
To describe ponderosity indices body mass index--"BMI" and ponderal index "PI" and skin fold thicknesses (triceps, biceps, subscapular and suprailiac) for affluent Indian school going adolescents.


METHODS
Cross sectional.


METHODS
Measurements were recorded in healthy affluent school going adolescents in public schools of 12 cities in India (boys=11,863 and girls 7,694). Means and percentiles of ponderosity indices and skinfold thicknesses at yearly intervals were derived for each sex and related to sexual maturity.


RESULTS
BMI, PI and skin fold thickness (SFT) were higher in girls. There was lower variability of these parameters with sexual maturity rating (breast/genital development stages) as compared to age, suggesting use of these indices in relation to sexual maturity for assessment of adolescent growth.


CONCLUSIONS
Pediatricians and endocrinologists can use these indices for assessment of thinness and obesity, in adolescent Indian children, in relation to sexual maturity for the age.
Agarwal
K N
KN
Department of Pediatrics, University College of Medical Sciences, Delhi 110 057, India. kna_ped@yahoo.com
Saxena
A
A
Bansal
A K
AK
Agarwal
D K
DK
D000293:Adolescent / Q000502:physiology*; D000886:Anthropometry; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011627:Puberty / Q000502:physiology; D012016:Reference Values; D012885:Skinfold Thickness; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors