[Assessment of the submandibular adipose skinfold for the determination of a nutritional status in children and adolescents].

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to show the validity of a new skinfold thickness for measuring nutritional status in children. We also compare submandibular skinfold thickness with other anthropometric measures and indices.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We have studied 899 boys and 837 girls between 3.0 and 15.1 years of age. All of them were healthy and from different socioeconomic statuses. We measured weight, height, obesity indices, circumferences, indices of body fat distribution and indices of body fat. Data were divided according to age and sex. We calculated the percentiles of submandibular skinfold thickness and correlations between this parameter and all other measurements were performed. The mean values of the two sexes were compared by using Student's t-test.

RESULTS

Submandibular skinfold is an easy and fast skinfold to measure. Its value is maximum at 10 and 11 years in girls and boys, respectively. This measurement is higher in girls than in boys at 5, 7, 10, 13 and 14 years of age (p < 0.05). There was a high correlation between this skinfold value and almost all of the measurements and indices studied, especially with the body mass index (r = 0.589), the sum of the four conventional skinfolds (r = 0.844), arm circumference (r = 0.513), arm fat area (r = 0.776) and percentage body fat (r = 0.830).

CONCLUSIONS

Submandibular skinfold thickness in children and adolescents shows a high correlation with body fat indices. It is for this reason that it could be used as a new measurement to assess nutritional status and obesity in children.