Anthropometric evaluation of the body composition of black, white, and Puerto Rican newborns.

One hundred ninety-four white, black, and Puerto Rican infants 1 to 5 days old were measured in the ward nurseries of two Philadelphia city hospitals. In addition to birth weight and length, triceps and subscapular skinfolds and upper arm circumference were obtained. Upper arm muscle circumference was calculated. Females had greater skinfold thicknesses than males but significant differences were found only for the triceps. Whites and blacks did not differ in skinfold thickness, but the Puerto Rican infants had significantly smaller triceps skinfolds. Differences in nutritional status are attributed to environmental factors.