GROWTH OF NATIVE HAWAIIAN SCHOOL-CHILDREN .2. BODY-MASS INDEX AND SKINFOLD MEASUREMENTS

Annual measurements of skinfold thicknesses at six sites (triceps, biceps, medial calf, subscapular, abdominal, and suprailiac) and the body mass index have been obtained from a sample of native Hawaiian school children and their non-Hawaiian classmates in a four year semilongitudinal study. Four cohorts were measured, with the children beginning the study in grades one, four, seven, and ten, respectively. Information on percentage of Polynesian ancestry, identity with Hawaiian culture, social class, and income were obtained from family interviews for the native Hawaiian children. Hawaiian boys at most ages surveyed are significantly fatter than their classmates on trunk sites, and are also fatter than National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey II (NHANES-II) medians. Native Hawaiian girls have significantly greater trunk skinfold measures than classmates in only one surveyed age group. The percentage of Polynesian ancestry in this admixed sample of Hawaiian children is significantly related to fatness and body mass among children aged 9-12 years, but is not clearly related to fatness in other age groups. Socioeconomic measures are also not related to fatness in a simple manner. Intensive study of specific sex-age groups may be required to identify factors that influence the amount of fatness of native Hawaiian school children.