American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 51, 936S-943S, Copyright © 1990 by The American Society for Nutrition

Fat patterning and centralized obesity in Mexican-American children in the Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (HHANES 1982-1984)

¹ From the Division of Human Biology, Wright State University, School of Medicine, Yellow Springs, OH and Ross Laboratories, Columbus, OH

The prevalence of central obesity was described in 3575 Mexican-American children aged 1 to 18 y from the Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1982-1984). Subcutaneous fat patterning was analyzed by principal components analyses of skinfold thicknesses for the age groups 1-6, 7-9, 10-12, 13-15, and 16-18 y for each sex. The first component consistently contrasted trunk with extremity skinfold thicknesses and corresponded to the index: In [(subscapular + iliac)/2]/[(triceps + medial caif)/2]. Obesity was defined as a sum-of-skinfolds > the 75th percentile for each age-group. The prevalence of central obesity was estimated by cross-classification of the fat pattern and fatness indices. Central obesity increased from < 1.0 to 10.8% from 1-18 y in the boys, but remained < 2% in the girls. Forty-three percent of obese boys aged 16-18 y had central fat patterns, whereas 1.7% of obese girls in this age group had this pattern.

Key Words: Fat patterning • Hispanic • adipose tissue • obesity

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