Anthropometry and body composition of children from distinct ethnic-cultural background in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil

Abstract

The objective of this study was to analyze anthropometric and body composition variables of children aged 7 - 10 years old with distinct ethnic-cultural backgrounds, from the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Data were collected from 1,757 children (males = 858; females = 899) from 3 different ethnic-cultural groups (Portuguese = 439; German = 434; Italian = 443) and one Ad-mixture group (n = 441). The sample was intentionally selected according to towns’ and schools’ predominant ethnic-cultural backgrounds and then cluster sampled by classroom. Anthropometric (body mass, stature and bone widths) and body composition variables (% fat, fat mass, lean body mass, sum of skinfolds and adiposity index) were analyzed by group, age and Sex. Anthropometric and body composition data were processed using SPSSPC for descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s post hoc test (p < 0.05). The results obtained made it possible to draw the following conclusions: a) The values of anthropometric variables for males aged 7 or 10 in the Italian and German ethnic-cultural groups were shown to be greater than those for the Portuguese group and were similar to the Ad-mixture group. Few statistically signifi cant differences were observed between males aged 8 or 9. Females in the German and Italian groups also exhibited greater values than the Portuguese group, although for a smaller number of variables. b) Few of the body composition variables could be statistically differentiated between groups, but it was found that the Portuguese group had lower values for lean body mass than the German and Italian ethnic-cultural groups at some ages. The majority of children were within the adiposity index range classed as excellent. However, 10% of all children were found to be obese.