Provider: Moravian Museum, Brno, Czech Republic

TY  - JOUR
JO  - Anthropologie (Brno)
TI  - Sexual Dimorphism in Schoolchildren and Its Relation with Nutritional Status
AU  - Oyhenart EE
AU  - Cesani MF
AU  - Quintero FA
AU  - Torres MF
AU  - Luis MA
AU  - Orden AB
Y1  - 2006
VL  - 44
IS  - 3
PB  - Moravian Museum, Brno, Czech Republic
SN  - 0323-1119
SP  - 263
EP  - 268
KW  - Sexual dimorphism
KW  - Malnutrition
KW  - Undernutrition
KW  - Overweight
N2  - 
N2  - To analyze if sexual dimorphism is modifi ed by nutritional status (undernutrition or overweight-obesity) of individuals from the same population. If so, to determine which components or tissues are implied. Height, weight, arm circumference, and triceps and subscapular skinfolds were measured in 816 schoolchildren of Brandsen (Buenos Aires, Argentina) aged from 3 to 16, grouped in two categories: prepubertal and pubertal. Data were transformed to z-scores using NHANES I and II references. Prevalences of stunting and wasting were calculated by z-scores below -2. Overweight was defi ned by BMI > 85 percentile. The sample was divided into four subsamples: normal, underweight, stunting and overweight. Data were processed by one way analysis of variance and Kruskal-Wallis test. In normal prepubertal and pubertal children 78% of the variables showed sexual dimorphism. Sexual differences were inhibited both by chronic and acute undernutrition (45% in prepubertal and 34% in pubertal). In overweight prepubertal children sexual dimorphism was inhibited only in 11% of the variables. The remainding variables were even more dimorphic than normal children. At change, during pubertal period, sexual dimorphism was inhibited by about 56%. Both defi ciencies and excess of nutrients interfere with the full expression of normal dimorphism based on gender, male growth being more affected than female growth. Although almost all tissues are implied in such modifi cation of sexual dimorphism, the adipose tissue appears to be more sensitive to environmental stress. This study suggests that populations under nutrition transition - in which undernutrition coexists with obesity - may display a marked variation of sexual dimorphism.
ER  -