Table 4.
Ethnic differences in body size measures expressed as z-scores
|
South Asian–white European |
Black African–Caribbean–white European |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Difference in z-score | (95% CI) | P (diff.) | Difference in z-score | (95% CI) | P (diff.) | |
| Conventional measures | ||||||
| Height (cm) | –0.06 | (–0.13, 0.01) | 0.08 | 0.54 | (0.47, 0.61) | <0.0001 |
| Weight (kg) | –0.12 | (–0.19, –0.05) | 0.001 | 0.37 | (0.30, 0.44) | <0.0001 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | –0.12 | (–0.20, –0.05) | 0.001 | 0.19 | (0.11, 0.26) | <0.0001 |
| Waist circumference (cm) | –0.11 | (–0.19, –0.04) | 0.002 | 0.00 | (–0.08, 0.07) | 0.90 |
| Sum of all skinfolds (mm) | 0.09 | (0.01, 0.16) | 0.02 | –0.06 | (–0.13, 0.01) | 0.09 |
| Sum of trunk skinfolds (mm) | 0.12 | (0.05, 0.19) | 0.001 | –0.04 | (–0.11, 0.03) | 0.23 |
| Sum of limb skinfolds (mm) | 0.04 | (–0.04, 0.11) | 0.35 | –0.08 | (–0.15, –0.01) | 0.03 |
| Fat mass percentage | 0.19 | (0.12, 0.27) | <0.0001 | 0.22 | (0.15, 0.29) | <0.0001 |
| Optimally height standardized indices | ||||||
| Weight-for-height index (kg/m3.4) | –0.10 | (–0.18, –0.03) | 0.01 | –0.02 | (–0.10, 0.05) | 0.53 |
| Waist-for-height1.4 index | –0.09 | (–0.17, –0.02) | 0.01 | –0.30 | (–0.37, –0.23) | <0.0001 |
| Sum of all skinfolds index (mm/m3.2) | 0.12 | (0.04, 0.19) | 0.002 | –0.25 | (–0.32, –0.18) | <0.0001 |
| Sum of trunk skinfolds index (mm/m3.8) | 0.15 | (0.07, 0.22) | <0.0001 | –0.23 | (–0.30, –0.16) | <0.0001 |
| Sum of limb skinfolds index (mm/m2.6) | 0.06 | (–0.02, 0.13) | 0.12 | –0.26 | (–0.33, –0.19) | <0.0001 |
| Fat mass index (kg/m5.3) | 0.12 | (0.04, 0.19) | 0.002 | 0.04 | (–0.03, 0.12) | 0.24 |
Ethnic differences (expressed as z-scores) are adjusted for gender, age quartiles, observer, month and a random effect for school. 95% CI = 95% confidence interval.