Subcutaneous adipose tissue distribution in adolescent girls of four ethnic groups
Malina, R.M.; Huang, Y.C.; Brown, K.H.
International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders Journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity 19(11): 793-797
1995
ISSN/ISBN: 0307-0565 PMID: 8589780 Document Number: 454856
OBJECTIVE: To compare the distribution of subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) in adolescent girls from four ethnic groups. SUBJECTS: The cross-sectional sample included 498 American adolescent girls from four ethnic groups: Mexican (n = 327), European (White, n = 81), Asian (n = 63, all except two Filipino), and African (Black, n = 27). Ages ranged from 11 to 18 years, but 98% of the sample was 12 to 17 years of age. MEASUREMENTS: Body mass, stature and four skinfolds were measured on each girl by a single observer. Three ratios of SAT distribution were derived: the ratio of the sum of the two T (subscapular + suprailiac) to the sum of the two E (triceps + medial call) skinfolds (T/E ratio); the ratio of the two T to the sum of four skinfolds (T/SUM ratio); and the ratio of the subscapular to the triceps skinfolds (S/T ratio). Principal components analysis was also used to evaluate SAT distribution. RESULTS: Adolescent girls in the four ethnic groups differed significantly in the three skinfold ratios and in the first principal component, which contrasted trunk and extremity skinfolds. The sequence from proportionally more to proportionally less trunk SAT was as follows: Asian gt Mexican gt White gt Black. Two other principal components were identified, one contrasting the upper and lower extremity skinfolds and the other contrasting the upper and lower trunk skinfolds, but ethnic differences in these two components were not significant.