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Intergenerational changes in adiposity and fat distribution from 1982 to 2011 in male children and adolescents from Kolkata (India)
Author(s) -
Kryst Łukasz,
Żegleń Magdalena,
Das Sukanta,
Dasgupta Parasmani,
Saha Rana,
Das Rituparna
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
pediatric obesity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.226
H-Index - 69
eISSN - 2047-6310
pISSN - 2047-6302
DOI - 10.1111/ijpo.12585
Subject(s) - medicine , demography , skinfold thickness , secular variation , socioeconomic status , population , body mass index , endocrinology , environmental health , sociology
Summary Background India, as a developing country, is subjected to numerous socioeconomic changes. They can significantly influence human development and be mirrored by the secular trends regarding the adiposity and body fat distribution. Objectives The aim of the study was to examine the intergenerational changes of adiposity and body fat distribution in Bengali boys, between 1982 and 2011. Methods The study group consisted of 2064 Bengali boys, aged 7–16, from the middle‐class families, examined in two cross‐sectional surveys in 1982–83 and 2005–2011. Triceps, biceps, subscapular and suprailiac skinfolds were measured. Their sum and the mean percentage of every skinfold were calculated. The percentage of body fat (%BF) was assessed using Slaughter's equations. Results Positive secular trend, significant for most of the age groups, was observed for %BF and sum of skinfolds. It was also present for suprailiac and subscapular skinfolds. Conclusions Adiposity has significantly changed over the past three decades. The results confirm that the measurements of skinfold thickness are a great tool to relatively easily and accurately assess body adiposity in countries such as India. Moreover, further analysis of these trends can help to identify possible negative changes as well as establish their causes in a particular population.