Abstract
ObjectiveTo examine the body composition including fat patterning among 744 school going Chakma tribal and non- tribal Bengali girls (366 Chakma tribal and 378 Bengali girls), aged 6-12y from North, Unokoti, Dhalai and South District of Tripura.MethodsThe subjects were selected using cluster-random sampling method. The anthropometric measurements of height, weight, triceps and subscapular skinfold were recorded. The body mass index (BMI) was also calculated. The measurements were used to estimate percent body fat (PBF) and fat-free mass (FFM) from skinfolds. Fat mass (FM) and FFM were each divided by height squared to produce the fat-mass index (FMI) and fat-free mass index (FFMI). Body composition was assessed using FM, FFM, FMI and FFMI.ResultsAge-specific mean values of FM ranged from 2.65-6.75 kg (tribal) and 1.92-6.45 kg (non-tribal). Age-specific mean values of FFM ranged from 17.19-29.61 kg for tribals and 15.41-28.44 kg for non-tribals respectively. PBF of tribals was significantly (p < 0.01) higher (except 10 y) than non-tribals. FFM and PBF significantly (p < 0.01) related with all anthropometric variables.ConclusionsThis study suggested a clear evidence of ethnic variation in fat patterning; Chakma tribal girls showing a greater subcutaneous adiposity in comparison with Bengali girls. These results are important for future investigations in clinical and epidemiological studies to identify the risk of lower or higher adiposity and body composition.
Highlights
Body composition is a valuable indicator for assessing the adiposity of an individual
The subjects were selected from rural areas of the state of Tripura, which is the habitat of the Chakma tribal and non-tribal Bengali populations
Weight, body mass index (BMI), subscapular skinfold thickness (SBSF) and TRSF between the two populations increased with advances in age
Summary
Body composition is a valuable indicator for assessing the adiposity of an individual. Anthropometric measurements are still widely used to assess the body composition in many fields and epidemiological investigations [1]. The amount of body fat differs with age, sex, genetic, environmental and socio-economic conditions and is very useful for assessing the health and nutritional status of a community [2,3,4]. Body composition status reflects nutritional intakes, losses and needs over time [i.e., fat-free mass (FFM) and FFM index] along with the prevalence of undernutrition. The present study has been taken to examine the body composition characteristics including fat distribution among Chakma tribal and non-tribal Bengali girls living in rural areas of Tripura, North-East India
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