Anthropometry in blacks: applicability of generalized skinfold equations and differences in fat patterning between blacks and whites

Article Abstract:

Many advances in science have arisen from increases in the precision of measurements. In clinical nutrition, it has been recognized that body weight alone is an inadequate measure of obesity and other nutritional states, and there has been a great interest in devising new measurements which are more appropriate for nutritional research. Recently, a series of different measurements have been used for the mathematical estimation of body composition; body composition is the proportions of fat versus lean tissue in the body. Over 100 equations have been developed which attempt to estimate body composition by combining measurements of skinfold thickness, various circumferences, and other measures. Usually, these equations were developed using a population of white subjects, and it is not at all clear that the same equations apply to blacks. There is evidence that blacks have heavier and denser bones, and there is some suggestion that both muscle mass and muscle density may be greater in black people as well. To determine how these differences might contribute to erroneous predictions of body composition for blacks, skinfold thicknesses and their related equations were studied in a group of 90 black and 89 white adults. The results suggested that blacks may have greater deposits of visceral (surrounding the organs) and upper body fat. The result of this difference is that the greatest accuracy for measuring the body composition of blacks came from using the Holtain caliper to measure skinfold thickness and the Durnin and Womersley equation to estimate body composition. The same combination yielded a significant overestimation of the body fat of white subjects. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Research, Measurement, Demographic aspects, Body composition, Health, Anthropometry, Adipose tissues, Adipose tissue, Skinfold thickness, Health and race, Ethnic groups

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Nutritional status of infants with cystic fibrosis associated with early diagnosis and intervention

Article Abstract:

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited disease that appears in infancy or early childhood. This disease causes large amounts of thick mucus to form in the lungs, pancreas, and intestines. CF causes growth retardation and malnutrition because it impairs absorption of nutrients from the diet and increases the risk of lung infection, which places an added energy demand on the body. CF can be diagnosed early in infancy by testing blood samples for a substance called immunoreactive trypsinogen or by measuring the amount of salt and chloride in sweat. A study was performed to evaluate the nutritional status of 45 infants with CF and to determine if nutrition therapy, begun early in the course of the disease, can improve nutritional status and prevent malnutrition. The average birth weight of the infants with CF was lower than the average birth weight of all other infants born at the same hospital during the same time period. Twenty infants who were diagnosed with CF at six weeks of age were fed a predigested formula for their entire first year of life. Multivitamin supplements were given to each infant at twice the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamins C, A, B, and D. Twelve months of feeding with the predigested formula and vitamin supplements resulted in improved nutritional status and growth. It is concluded that normal growth and nutritional status can be achieved when CF is diagnosed early in infancy and diet supplements are given. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Health aspects, Evaluation, Diagnosis, Prevention, Nutrition, Nutritional assessment, Dietary supplements, Malnutrition in children, Child malnutrition, Cystic fibrosis

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