title: Correlates of adiposity in a Caribbean pre-school population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate ethnic and anthropometric correlates of adiposity among a nationally representative, multi-ethnic, Trinidadian pre-school population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study conducted between June 2008 and July 2009.
  
  
  METHODS
  Government and privately owned Early Childhood Care and Education Centres in Trinidad.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 596 pre-school children (aged 31-73 months) from thirty-four schools had their weight, height, mid-upper arm circumference, waist circumference, biceps and triceps skinfold thicknesses measured by a registered dietitian using standard procedures. Percentage body fat was estimated using a foot-to-foot bioelectric impedance analyser (Tanita 531, Tokyo, Japan). Date of birth, religion and ethnicity were extracted from school records and pre-schoolers' ethnicity was categorized as East Indian, African, Mixed (a combination of two or more ethnicities), Chinese or Caucasian.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Anthropometric variables explained significantly more of the variance in adiposity among girls (67·4-88·1 %) than boys (24·4-39·2 %; P < 0·0 0 1). Pre-schoolers of African descent were significantly taller, heavier and had higher abdominal fat and mid-upper arm circumference than their East Indian and Mixed counterparts (all P < 0·001). The overall prevalence of excess adiposity (≥25 % body fat) as determined by bioelectrical impedance was 14·6 %, while 2·9 % of the children were undernourished according to WHO weight-for-age criteria. Differences in anthropometry were non-existent between children attending government and private pre-schools.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gender, ethnicity and anthropometry all explained excess adiposity in these pre-schoolers. These findings highlight the need to elucidate the mechanisms that may be involved in explaining these differences, particularly those of ethnic origin.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension,The University of the West Indies,St. Augustine,Trinidad and Tobago.
authors.forename: Anisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ramcharitar-Bourne
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension,The University of the West Indies,St. Augustine,Trinidad and Tobago.
authors.forename: Selby
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nichols
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Food Production,The University of the West Indies,St. Augustine,Trinidad and Tobago.
authors.forename: Neela
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Badrie
mesh_terms: D050153:Abdominal Fat; D000273:Adipose Tissue; D050154:Adiposity; D000886:Anthropometry; D001132:Arm; D044466:Asian People; D044383:Black People; D001823:Body Composition; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D049628:Body Size; D001835:Body Weight; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D014300:Trinidad and Tobago / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D044465:White People