Sexual behavior among Hispanic female adolescents in the United States

The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with sexual activity in a national representative sample of Hispanic female adolescents. The subjects included all (n = 202) 15- to 19-year-old Hispanic female adolescents from the 1982 National Survey of Family Growth subdivided into Mexican-American (n = 119), Puerto Rican (n = 34), Central/South American (n = 23), Cuban (n = 9), and other Hispanic (n = 17) background groups. A total of 42% of the young women were sexually active. More Cubans (69.0%) and Central/South Americans (55.6%) reported sexual activity than the other groups, but the differences were not statistically significant. With multiple regression analysis, a significant amount of variation (total R2 = 0.367, P less than or equal to .001) in sexual activity was explained by the following variables: not being in school (22.5%), no religious affiliation (4.4%), age (3.3%), less church attendance (3.0%), older age at menarche (1.9%), and not living with both parents at age 14 years (1.9%). These findings suggest that maintaining social continuity in the areas of school, church affiliation and involvement, and family structure, as well as physical maturity are associated with Hispanic adolescent girls not becoming sexually active.     

Impact of timing of pubertal maturation on growth in black and white female adolescents: The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Growth and Health Study

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of early, mid-onset, and late maturation, as assessed by timing of menarche, on height, height velocity, weight, body mass index, and sum of skinfolds in a group of white and black girls. STUDY DESIGN: The Growth and Health Study recruited 9- and 10-year-old girls from Richmond, California, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Washington, DC. There were 616 white and 539 black participants recruited at age 9 and 550 white and 674 black participants recruited at age 10. Participants were seen annually for 10 visits. Longitudinal regression models were used to test for differences in each growth measure by timing of menarche across all ages and to determine whether these differences change with age. RESULTS: Mean age at menarche among white participants was 12.7 years, and among black participants, 12.0 years. According to race-specific 20th and 80th percentiles, early maturers were tallest at early ages and shortest after adult stature had been attained. Peak height velocity and post-menarche increment in stature were greatest in early maturers and least in late maturers. Weight was greatest in early and least in late maturers, as was body mass index. Sum of skinfolds was also greatest in early and least in late maturers. There was no impact of timing of maturation on two common measures of regional fat distribution. CONCLUSIONS: Girls who matured early were shorter in early adulthood, despite having greater peak height velocity and post-menarchal increment in height. Throughout puberty, early maturers had greater ponderosity and adiposity, although there was no association with regional distribution of fat.     

Prevalence and impact of dysmenorrhea on Hispanic female adolescents

BACKGROUND: Dysmenorrhea is the leading cause of short-term school absenteeism. It is associated with a negative impact on social, academic, and sports activities of many female adolescents. Dysmenorrhea has not previously been described among Hispanic adolescents, the fastest growing minority group in the United States. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of dysmenorrhea among Hispanic female adolescents; its impact on academic performance, school attendance, and sports and social activities; and its management. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: A total of 706 Hispanic female adolescents, in grades 9 through 12, completed a 31-item questionnaire about the presence, duration, severity, treatment, and limitations of dysmenorrhea at a local urban high school. RESULTS: Among participants who had had a period in the previous 3 months, 85% reported dysmenorrhea. Of these, 38% reported missing school due to dysmenorrhea during the 3 months prior to the survey and 33% reported missing individual classes. Activities affected by dysmenorrhea included class concentration (59%), sports (51%), class participation (50%), socialization (46%), homework (35%), test-taking skills (36%), and grades (29%). Treatments taken for dysmenorrhea included rest (58%), medications (52%), heating pad (26%), tea (20%), exercise (15%), and herbs (7%). Fourteen percent consulted a physician and 49% saw a school nurse for help with their symptoms. Menstrual pain was significantly associated with school absenteeism and decreased academic performance, sports participation, and socialization with peers (P<.01). CONCLUSIONS: Dysmenorrhea is highly prevalent among Hispanic adolescents and is related to school absenteeism and limitations on social, academic, and sports activities. Given that most adolescents do not seek medical advice for dysmenorrhea, health care providers should screen routinely for dysmenorrhea and offer treatment. As dysmenorrhea reportedly affects school performance and attendance, school administrators may have a vested interest in providing health education on this topic to their students. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2000;154:1226-1229.     

The relation between physical activity and mental health among Hispanic and non-Hispanic white adolescents

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relation of physical activity (PA) with feelings of sadness and suicidal thoughts and behaviors among Hispanic and non-Hispanic white adolescent boys and girls. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study using a modified 2001 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. PARTICIPANTS: One thousand eight hundred seventy Hispanic and non-Hispanic white adolescents, aged 14 to 18 years, attending high school in Nueces County, Texas. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the relation between PA, including moderate and vigorous PAs, strength and toning, total PA, physical education class, and participation in team sports, and the dependent variables feelings of sadness and considering, planning, and attempting suicide. RESULTS: More boys reported participating in PA than girls (P<.001), and more girls than boys reported feelings of sadness and considering and planning suicide (P<.001). Greater attendance in physical education class was inversely related to feelings of sadness (odds ratio [OR], 0.80 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.68-0.94]); participation in more total PA sessions per week was associated with a lower risk of considering suicide (OR, 0.72 [95% CI, 0.65-0.79]); and higher levels of vigorous PA (OR, 0.73 [95% CI, 0.57-0.93]), total PA (OR, 0.65 [95% CI, 0.48-0.87]), and strength and toning activity (OR, 0.64 [95% CI, 0.42-0.99]) were associated with a lower risk of planning suicide. CONCLUSIONS: These findings are consistent with a beneficial effect of PA on feelings of sadness and suicidal behaviors in Hispanic and non-Hispanic white boys and girls. Physical activity may be considered as part of an intervention strategy to improve adolescent health as a whole.     

Birthweight and stature, body mass index and fat distribution of 14-year-old Polish adolescents

OBJECTIVES: The relationships between intra-uterine growth retardation and stature, relative weight and fat distribution at adolescence have not been comprehensively established. The aim of this report is to assess the effect of low birthweight on stature, relative weight and fat distribution in 14-year-old boys and girls from Wroclaw, Poland. METHODOLOGY: Cross-sectional measurements of 1197 boys and 819 post-menarcheal girls aged 13.50-14.49 years were performed during medical examinations in 1997. Stature, body mass index (BMI; kg/m2), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and waist-to-thigh ratio (WTR) were used in the present study. A cut-off value of the 10th percentile of birthweight for particular gestational weeks was used in order to define subjects born small for gestational age (SGA) or appropriate for gestational age (AGA). Two-way ANOVA was used to evaluate the effect of birthweight on anthropometric variables of 14-year-old adolescents, allowing for socioeconomic status (determined by the level of the mother's education). RESULTS: Birthweight affected stature in boys and girls (P < 0.001), BMI in boys (P < 0.05) and WHR and WTR in girls (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively). At the age of 14 years, both SGA boys and girls were shorter than their AGA peers. The SGA boys had lower BMI, whereas SGA girls accumulated more centralized fat compared with their AGA counterparts. CONCLUSION: Fetal growth retardation has a long-lasting adverse effect on later physical growth. Polish SGA children do not catch up with their peers in terms of stature by adolescence. Moreover, central fat distribution, as observed among SGA girls, constitutes a significant risk for several adult degenerative diseases.     

Postprandial triglyceridemia in obese and non-obese adolescents. Importance of body composition and fat distribution

BACKGROUND: It has recently been shown that obese adults have a disturbed metabolism of postprandial lipoproteins, resulting in postprandial hypertriglyceridemia. To the best of our knowledge, there are no data about postprandial triglyceridemia in obese and non-obese children and adolescents. SUBJECTS: 12 obese and 12 non-obese adolescents, aged 11.0 to 13.8 years. METHODS: Body composition and fat distribution (waist-to-hip circumference ratio and triceps/ subscapular skinfold thickness ratio) were assessed by anthropometry. An oral fat tolerance test was carried out, and fasting and postprandial lipid-lipoprotein serum concentrations were measured. RESULTS: We observed a significant increase in triglyceride serum concentrations 2 and 4 hours after the oral fat load, in both obese and non-obese adolescents. In obese and non-obese adolescents there were significant correlations between some variables of postprandial lipemia and the studied indices of body fat distribution. When we compare postprandial lipemia in adolescents having a central pattern of fat distribution with those having a peripheral pattern of fat distribution, we observed higher variables related to postprandial lipemia in those having a central pattern of fat distribution compared with those with a peripheral pattern (sum of serum triglyceride concentrations: 6.06 vs 4.41, p = 0.0243). CONCLUSIONS: We present a protocol to study postprandial lipemia in children and adolescents that allowed us to observe significant changes after an oral fat load. Results obtained indicate that the pattern of distribution of adipose tissue may be more important for lipid metabolism disturbances than total adipose tissue per se.     

Body fat, abdominal fat and body fat distribution related to cardiovascular risk factors in prepubertal children

Aim: We analysed whether total body fat (TBF), abdominal fat and body fat distribution are associated with higher composite risk factor scores for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in young children. Methods: Cross‐sectional study of 238 children aged 8–11 years. TBF and abdominal fat mass (AFM) were measured by Dual‐Energy X‐Ray Absorptiometry. TBF was expressed as a percentage of body weight (BF%). Body fat distribution was calculated as AFM/TBF. Maximal oxygen uptake (VO_2PEAK), systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP), and resting heart rate (RHR) were measured. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and pulse pressure (PP) were calculated. Left atrial diameter (LA) was measured, and left ventricular mass (LVM) and relative wall thickness (RWT) were calculated. Z‐scores were calculated. Sum of z‐scores for SBP, DBP, MAP, PP, RHR, LVM, LA, RWT and ?VO_2PEAK was calculated in boys and girls, separately, and used as composite risk factor score. Results: Pearson correlations between ln BF%, ln AFM and AFM/TBF versus composite risk factor score for boys were r = 0.56, r = 0.59 and r = 0.48, all p < 0.001, and for girls r = 0.45, r = 0.50 and r = 0.48, all p < 0.001. Conclusion: Total body fat, abdominal fat and body fat distribution were all associated with higher composite risk factor scores for CVD in young children.     

Reference centile curves for body fat percentage,fat-free mass,muscle mass and bone mass measured by bioelectrical impedance in Asian Indian children and adolescents

Objectives

To create gender-specific percentile curves for percent body fat (%BF) by Bio electrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) for screening adiposity and risk of hypertension in Indian children and generate reference curves for percent fat-free mass (%FFM), muscle mass (%LM) and bone mineral content (BMC) by using bioelectrical impedance.

Design

Secondary analysis of data from previous multicenter cross-sectional studies.

Setting

Private schools from five regions of India.

Participants

A random sample of 3850 healthy school children (2067 boys) (5-17 yr) from private schools in five major Indian cities.

Methods

Anthropometry, blood pressure (BP) and body composition were measured by bioelectrical impedance. Reference curves were generated by the LMS method.

Main outcome measures

%BF, %FFM, %LM, BMC and BP

Results

Median %BF increased by 6% from 5 to 13 years of age and declined (around 2%) up to 17 years in boys. In girls, %BF increased by 8% from 5 to 14 years and thereafter declined by 3%. Based upon the risk of hypertension, the new cut-offs of 75th and 85th percentile of %BF were proposed for detecting over fatness and excess fatness in children. Median %FFM was 90% at 5 yrs and decreased till 12 years, and then showed a slight increase to 84% at 17 yrs in boys. In girls, it was 86% at 5 yrs and decreased till 15 yrs, and plateaued at 71.8% at 17 yrs.

Conclusions

Reference curves for percent body fat for Indian children would be useful to screen children for health risk in clinical set up.

     

大连地区儿童青少年体成分影响的调查研究

目的：探讨大连地区儿童青少年体成分的发育规律、特点,为指导其营养状况和制定保健措施提供科学依据,也为今后评价儿童青少年生长发育动态变化积累资料。方法研究抽取大连市全日制小学2所、初中2所、高中1所,每个年级共抽取4个班,共2027名6～18岁儿童青少年,测量身高,体重、体脂量、去脂体重、体脂率、骨量、肌肉量、体重指数、体水分率及基础代谢率。结果(1)大连男女学生的各项指标均随年龄的增长而增加,生长曲线呈上升趋势;体内水分随着年龄的增长而减少。(2)大连男女学生的肌肉量、去脂体脂及基础代谢量在所有年龄段均存在显著性差异,形态指标及其他的体成分指标在部分年龄段存在性差;仅脂肪率与脂肪量为女性大于男性,其余指标均为男性大于女性。(3)大连女学生肥胖检出率为35.7％,男学生的肥胖检出率为16.7％。结论(1)大连城市儿童青少年体重、身高及体成分构成比例符合儿童青少年生长发育规律。(2)大连男女学生的肌肉量、去脂体脂及基础代谢率在所有年龄段均存在显著性别差异,形态指标及其他的体成分指标在部分年龄段存在性别差异。(3)大连学生的肥胖检出率明显高于国家标准,控制儿童肥胖形势严峻。     

体脂肪含量与儿童青少年高血压关系

目的探讨儿童青少年体脂肪含量与高血压的关系。方法采用横断面研究方法纳入5 144名6~13岁学生(男2 649名、女2 495名)为研究对象;采集身高、体质量、血压,以生物电阻抗法检测体脂肪含量;以收缩压或舒张压任一项高于同年龄同性别血压P95为高血压。采用ROC曲线分析体脂肪含量预测高血压的切点值;以多因素logistic回归分析体脂肪含量对高血压的影响。男生体脂肪含量分布以10岁年龄组为高峰,而女生体脂肪含量分布则与年龄增长一致。男生和女生体脂肪含量预测高血压的切点值分别为18.0%和18.8%。控制年龄、性别、身高和体质量,男生体脂肪含量高于该预测切点值,则高血压风险增加51%(OR=1.51,95%CI:1.04~2.07);女生体脂肪含量超过切点值,则高血压风险增加53%(OR=1.53,95%CI:1.00~2.34)。体脂肪含量预测男生高血压的效能[ROC曲线下面积(AUC)=0.649]低于BMI(AUC=0.695),差异有统计学意义(P0.01);体脂肪含量预测女生高血压的效能(AUC=0.644)与BMI(AUC=0.650)的差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论男生和女生体脂肪含量预测高血压的切点值分别为18.0%和18.8%。BMI预测儿童高血压时仍优于体脂肪含量。     

Birth weight and body fat distribution in adolescent girls

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between birth weight and body fat distribution in a group of adolescent girls. DESIGN: A total of 216 white girls who were born in Southampton had their heights, weights, waist and hip circumferences, and skinfold thicknesses measured when they were aged between 14 and 16 years. RESULTS: The girls who were smallest at birth, but who were fattest at time of measurement were the most centrally obese. In girls whose body mass index was above the median (21 kg/m2), the subscapular to triceps skinfold ratio rose by 9% for every kilogram decrease in birth weight. Among overweight girls, with a body mass index over 25, the ratio rose by 27% for every kilogram decrease in birth weight. CONCLUSION: In adolescent girls, the tendency to store fat on the trunk rather than the limbs, seems to be programmed by growth in fetal life, and is most evident in those who are overweight.     

Effect of weight loss on body fat distribution in obese children

The intra-abdominal visceral fat to subcutaneous fat ratio (V/S ratio) has been reported to be strongly related to disorders of glucose and lipid metabolism, and hypertension. It is a matter of concern as to whether weight loss causes an improvement of the V/S ratio or not in obese children. Changes in body fat distribution during weight loss in 23 obese children were quantified by weight, bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and computed tomography (CT scan of the abdomen). Twenty-three patients were divided into two groups; six were in the inpatient group and 17 were in the outpatient group. Bodyweight, body fat percentage, subcutaneous fat and visceral fat were significantly higher in the inpatient group than in the outpatient group before weight loss. Whereas the V/S ratio was almost equal between the two groups before weight loss. Bodyweight, body fat percentage, subcutaneous fat and visceral fat were found to decrease significantly during weight loss in the two groups. The V/S ratio of the outpatient group did not change after weight loss. In contrast, the V/S ratio of the inpatient group decreased significantly during weight loss. These preliminary findings suggest that a large amount of body fat and a high obesity rate are not always accompanied by a high V/S ratio in obese children. The fat pattern changes during weight loss with strict dietary therapy and therapeutic exercise. A larger sample of obese children should be studied to test this conjecture.