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Obesity: does it occur in African children in a rural community in South Africa?
Int J Epidemiol. 1999 Apr; 28(2):287-92.IJ

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Total body fatness and a centripetal fat patterning are recognized as risk indicators of cardiovascular disease in adulthood. In this study, the development of these risk factors in rural South African children during the preschool years and first years of formal schooling is explored.

METHOD

The initial cross-sectional data from the Ellisras Longitudinal Investigations in Rural Community Children Project, ongoing since 1996, were used, involving 684 boys and 652 girls, aged 3-10 years, in the Ellisras rural community. Overweight was measured using the body mass index (BMI) (kg/m2). Overfatness was based on the sum of the triceps and subscapular skinfold thicknesses. A centripetal fat patterning was measured by the sum of trunk skinfolds relative to limb skinfolds and the ratio of the subscapular to triceps skinfold. Further, the ratio of the subscapular to supraspinale skinfold was used as an indicator of lower body fat patterning. The 85th percentiles of the NHANES III were used as cutoff values for overweight, overfatness and a centripetal fat patterning.

RESULTS

At ages 7 and 8 years, mean BMI was statistically significantly higher in males compared to females (P < 0.05). The log transformed supraspinale skinfold thickness was larger in females compared to males at ages 4-7 years; the log transformed subscapular skinfold was larger in girls compared to boys aged 7-10 years. Less clear patterns were found for the extremity skinfolds and the skinfold ratios. Very few children (0-2.5% in males and 0-4.3% in females) had BMI values above the NHANES III 85th percentiles, indicating a very low prevalence of overweight children in the area. About 15% of the males showed overfatness at ages 3-4 years, while low prevalence was found at older ages.

CONCLUSION

Few Ellisras rural children had above normal values for BMI, indicating a low prevalence of obesity in this population. In the 3- and 4-year-old group more subjects were found to have excessive fat, as indicated by the sum of the triceps and subscapular skinfold thicknesses.

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Publisher Full Text

Authors+Show Affiliations

Monyeki KD
Kinesiology and Physical Education Department, University of the North, Sovenga, South Africa.
van Lenthe FJ
No affiliation info available
Steyn NP
No affiliation info available

MeSH

African Continental Ancestry GroupAge DistributionAnthropometryBody Mass IndexChildChild, PreschoolCross-Sectional StudiesData CollectionFemaleHumansMaleObesityPrevalenceRisk FactorsRural PopulationSampling StudiesSex DistributionSouth Africa

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Language

eng

PubMed ID

10342693

Citation

Monyeki, K D., et al. "Obesity: Does It Occur in African Children in a Rural Community in South Africa?" International Journal of Epidemiology, vol. 28, no. 2, 1999, pp. 287-92.
Monyeki KD, van Lenthe FJ, Steyn NP. Obesity: does it occur in African children in a rural community in South Africa? Int J Epidemiol. 1999;28(2):287-92.
Monyeki, K. D., van Lenthe, F. J., & Steyn, N. P. (1999). Obesity: does it occur in African children in a rural community in South Africa? International Journal of Epidemiology, 28(2), 287-92.
Monyeki KD, van Lenthe FJ, Steyn NP. Obesity: Does It Occur in African Children in a Rural Community in South Africa. Int J Epidemiol. 1999;28(2):287-92. PubMed PMID: 10342693.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Obesity: does it occur in African children in a rural community in South Africa? AU - Monyeki,K D, AU - van Lenthe,F J, AU - Steyn,N P, PY - 1999/5/26/pubmed PY - 1999/5/26/medline PY - 1999/5/26/entrez KW - Africa KW - Africa South Of The Sahara KW - Age Factors KW - Biology KW - Body Weight KW - Child KW - Demographic Factors KW - Developing Countries KW - English Speaking Africa KW - Measurement KW - Obesity KW - Physiology KW - Population KW - Population Characteristics KW - Prevalence KW - Research Methodology KW - Research Report KW - Rural Population KW - South Africa KW - Southern Africa KW - Youth SP - 287 EP - 92 JF - International journal of epidemiology JO - Int J Epidemiol VL - 28 IS - 2 N2 - BACKGROUND: Total body fatness and a centripetal fat patterning are recognized as risk indicators of cardiovascular disease in adulthood. In this study, the development of these risk factors in rural South African children during the preschool years and first years of formal schooling is explored. METHOD: The initial cross-sectional data from the Ellisras Longitudinal Investigations in Rural Community Children Project, ongoing since 1996, were used, involving 684 boys and 652 girls, aged 3-10 years, in the Ellisras rural community. Overweight was measured using the body mass index (BMI) (kg/m2). Overfatness was based on the sum of the triceps and subscapular skinfold thicknesses. A centripetal fat patterning was measured by the sum of trunk skinfolds relative to limb skinfolds and the ratio of the subscapular to triceps skinfold. Further, the ratio of the subscapular to supraspinale skinfold was used as an indicator of lower body fat patterning. The 85th percentiles of the NHANES III were used as cutoff values for overweight, overfatness and a centripetal fat patterning. RESULTS: At ages 7 and 8 years, mean BMI was statistically significantly higher in males compared to females (P < 0.05). The log transformed supraspinale skinfold thickness was larger in females compared to males at ages 4-7 years; the log transformed subscapular skinfold was larger in girls compared to boys aged 7-10 years. Less clear patterns were found for the extremity skinfolds and the skinfold ratios. Very few children (0-2.5% in males and 0-4.3% in females) had BMI values above the NHANES III 85th percentiles, indicating a very low prevalence of overweight children in the area. About 15% of the males showed overfatness at ages 3-4 years, while low prevalence was found at older ages. CONCLUSION: Few Ellisras rural children had above normal values for BMI, indicating a low prevalence of obesity in this population. In the 3- and 4-year-old group more subjects were found to have excessive fat, as indicated by the sum of the triceps and subscapular skinfold thicknesses. SN - 0300-5771 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/10342693/Obesity:_does_it_occur_in_African_children_in_a_rural_community_in_South_Africa L2 - https://academic.oup.com/ije/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/ije/28.2.287 DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -