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Body composition, energy expenditure and physical activity

Secular trends in adiposity within the context of changes in BMI across developmental periods among Polish schoolchildren—application of the Slaughter equation

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 75, pages 49–56 (2021)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objectives

To estimate secular changes in the body fatness, assessed using the Slaughter equation, in the context of changes in BMI in different developmental periods among Polish schoolchildren studied over nearly 50 years.

Methods

Data were collected during Polish Anthropological Surveys (1966, 1978, 1988, 2012). The total random sample consisted of 69,746 schoolchildren, aged 7–18. Three periods of development were identified: childhood, early adolescence, and late adolescence. Raw data of BMI were standardized for age classes. Based on the body fat percentage, calculated using Slaughter equation (involving triceps and subscapular skinfold thickness), fat mass (FM; kg), and then fat mass index (FMI = FM/height6; kg/m6) was assessed to enable comparison between body fatness and BMI. Statistical analyses included two-way ANOVA and post-hoc Tukey’s tests.

Results

In boys, in terms of changes per decade, between 1966 and 2012 acceleration in Z-BMI and deceleration in FMI were found, irrespective of developmental period. Regarding girls, deceleration of trend was found in terms of both features, with different intensity, depending on developmental period and year of study. The pattern of changes in FMI depending on developmental period was, to some extent, similar for both sexes.

Conclusions

Slaughter equation for abovementioned two skinfolds, as a method of body fatness assessment, might be a useful tool for research on boys across different developmental periods, but not on girls. Moreover, it should be used with caution when applied to secular changes in adiposity in both sexes, since the distribution of fat tissue varies across ontogenesis, but also over generations.

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Fig. 1: Secular trend in FMI in the context of changes in BMI between 1966 and 2012 in boys.
Fig. 2: Secular trend in FMI in the context of changes in BMI between 1966 and 2012 in girls.

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Acknowledgements

Special acknowledgement to all contributors and researchers who were involved in the Polish Anthropological Surveys across all the years.

Funding

The 2012 Survey was funded by the National Science Centre in Poland (grant no. N N303 804540). The funding organization had no influence on the study design, data collection, analysis and interpretation, as well as on the decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anthropology, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland

    Aleksandra Gomula, Natalia Nowak-Szczepanska & Slawomir Koziel

  2. Department of Anatomy, University of Physical Education in Krakow, Krakow, Poland

    Agnieszka Suder

  3. Department of Anatomy, University School of Physical Education in Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland

    Zofia Ignasiak

Authors
  1. Aleksandra Gomula
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  2. Natalia Nowak-Szczepanska
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  3. Agnieszka Suder
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  4. Zofia Ignasiak
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  5. Slawomir Koziel
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Contributions

AG drafted the manuscript, participated in data collection, digitalization, and prepared database. NN-S provided critical comments and edited the manuscript for intellectual content, participated in data collection, and prepared the database. AS and ZI participated in drafting the manuscript. SK organized, arranged, and coordinated the study conducted in 2012, analyzed and interpreted the data, and provided critical comments.

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Correspondence to Aleksandra Gomula.

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Gomula, A., Nowak-Szczepanska, N., Suder, A. et al. Secular trends in adiposity within the context of changes in BMI across developmental periods among Polish schoolchildren—application of the Slaughter equation. Eur J Clin Nutr 75, 49–56 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-020-0675-7

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