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Orthogonal factor coefficient development of subcutaneous adipose tissue topography (SAT‐Top) in girls and boys
Author(s) -
Tafeit Erwin,
Möller Reinhard,
Sudi Karl,
Horejsi Renate,
Berg Aloys,
Reibnegger Gilbert
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
american journal of physical anthropology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.146
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1096-8644
pISSN - 0002-9483
DOI - 10.1002/ajpa.1056
Subject(s) - subcutaneous adipose tissue , adipose tissue , subcutaneous fat , factor (programming language) , age groups , subcutaneous tissue , body surface area , medicine , mathematics , geometry , surgery , computer science , demography , sociology , programming language
The new optical device Lipometer allows noninvasive, quick, and safe determination of the thickness of subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) layers (in mm) at any site of the human body. The specification of 15 evenly distributed body sites enables the precise measurement of subcutaneous body fat distribution, so‐called subcutaneous adipose tissue topography (SAT‐Top). SAT‐Top was measured in 980 children aged 7–19 years. In this paper we describe the degree to which SAT‐Top body sites are intercorrelated. We consider whether a meaningful reduction of data is possible using factor analysis, which factors can be extracted, and how SAT‐Top data of children can be added to a factor value plot, depicting the essential results of age‐dependent subcutaneous fat development. SAT layers situated on the same body area provide correlation coefficients up to +r = 0.91. Two factors are extracted: factor 1, containing all upper body sites (from neck to hip); and factor 2, consisting of all leg body sites. When all 980 children are divided into three age groups in a factor value plot, the first age group (7–11 years) shows almost equal SAT‐Top development in boys and girls. Afterwards, for the consecutive age groups 2 (11–15 years) and 3 (15–19 years), the age‐dependent subcutaneous fat development of boys and girls progresses into nearly orthogonal directions. Am J Phys Anthropol 115:57–61, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.