[Epidemiology of elevated triciptal and subscapular skinfolds in adolescents].
The objective of this study was to describe and compare the tricipital (TSF) and subscapular skinfold (SSF) thickness according to demographic, socioeconomic, behavioral, and biological characteristics in adolescents from Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. A cross-sectional study nested in a birth cohort (n = 4,452; mean age = 11 years) was conducted. The outcomes were defined as skinfold thickness >or= 90th percentile of the National Center for Health Statistics reference curve. The prevalence rates for elevated TSF and SSF were 20.2% and 17.3%, respectively, in boys and 14.2% and 10.5% in girls. The strongest factor associated with adiposity in boys was socioeconomic status (p < 0.001), whereas among girls it was maternal body mass index (p < 0.001). Low physical activity (< 300 minutes/week) was associated with elevated SSF only among girls, while schooling was associated with increased TSF and SSF only among boys. Diet, skin color, and sedentary behavior were not associated with any of the outcomes. We concluded that the main predictors of adiposity were maternal and socioeconomic characteristics. We recommend that further studies on this issue apply other methods to estimate body composition in order to confirm our results.
Duquia
Rodrigo Pereira
RP
Programa de Pós-graduação em Epidemiologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brasil. rodrigoduquia@terra.com.br
Dumith
Samuel de Carvalho
Sde C
Reichert
Felipe Fossati
FF
Madruga
Samanta Winck
SW
Duro
Luciano Nunes
LN
Menezes
Ana Maria Baptista
AM
Araújo
Cora Luiza
CL
D000273:Adipose Tissue; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D012880:Skin Pigmentation; D012885:Skinfold Thickness; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors