title: Percentiles and regional distribution of skinfold thickness among children and adolescents in Shandong, China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Skinfold thicknesses (SFT) have long been considered important and valid measurements of subcutaneous fat. The present study reported the percentiles and regional distribution of SFT among children and adolescents in Shandong, China.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data for this study were obtained from a large cross-sectional survey of schoolchildren. A total of 42,268 students (21,200 boys and 21,068 girls) aged 7-18 years from 16 districts participated in this study. Triceps, subscapular, and abdomen SFT of all subjects were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Shandong children and adolescents had a high SFT level and substantial regional disparities in SFT were observed. Boys and girls resident in high socioeconomic status (SES) districts had higher SFT level than those living in moderate and low SES districts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The SFT level of children and adolescents is associated with regional SES in Shandong, China. This may be interpreted as a result of geographic variation between the districts in the process of urbanization, living standards, nutritional conditions, dietary patterns, and public health.
authors.affiliation: Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong University Institute of Preventive Medicine, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Ying-Xiu
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jin-Shan
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Zun-Hua
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Chu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002681:China; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012885:Skinfold Thickness; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors