Fat Mass Centile Charts for Brazilian Children and Adolescents and the Identification of the Roles of Socioeconomic Status and Physical Fitness on Fat Mass Development.

Simonete Silva,José Maia,Adam Baxter-Jones

doi:10.3390/ijerph13020151

Abstract

This paper presents fat mass centile charts for Brazilian youth and investigates the roles of socioeconomic status and physical fitness (PF) on fat mass (FM) development. Two northeast Brazilian samples were used: a cross-sectional sample of 3659 (1921 girls) aged 8 to 16 years and a mixed-longitudinal series of cohorts (8–10, 10–12, 12–14, 14–16 years) with 250 boys and 250 girls. A measure of somatic maturity was used as a marker of biological maturation; PF comprised agility, explosive and static strength, and aerobic capacity. Socioeconomic status was based on school attended; public or private. Slaughter’s anthropometric equations were used to estimate FM. Percentile charts was constructed using the LMS method. HLM (Hierarchical Linear Model) 7 software modeled FM changes, identifying inter-individual differences and their covariates. Girls and boys had different FM percentile values at each age; FM increased nonlinearly in both girls and boys. Higher PF levels reduced FM changes across time in both sexes. Sex-specific non-linear FM references were provided representing important tools for nutritionists, pediatriciann and educators. Physical fitness levels were found to act as a protective factor in FM increases. As such, we emphasize PF importance as a putative health marker and highlight the need for its systematic development across the school years.

Highlights

Anthropometric markers of physical growth and body composition (BC) are considered important health indicators at both the individual and population levels [1]
The prevalence of youth obesity worldwide has increased dramatically [7]. This trend is linked to low physical activity levels as well as to insufficient health-related physical fitness which apparently contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular diseases, and all-cause mortality in both adults and children [8,9]
This paper aims to develop longitudinal fat mass centile charts for Brazilian children and investigate the roles, if any, of socioeconomic status and physical fitness on fat mass development

Summary

Introduction

Anthropometric markers of physical growth and body composition (BC) are considered important health indicators at both the individual and population levels [1]. Growth reference values, expressed via percentile charts, are among the most widely used, and important instruments, in public health and clinical settings [1,2,3]. They are used by nutritionists, physical educators and pediatric sport scientists [4,5,6]. The prevalence of youth obesity worldwide has increased dramatically [7] This trend is linked to low physical activity levels as well as to insufficient health-related physical fitness which apparently contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular diseases, and all-cause mortality in both adults and children [8,9]. It is important to closely monitor fat mass development in children and youth, and the need for country specific reference values is

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