Abstract
This paper examined the ethnic differences in regional adiposity, measured as circumferences and skinfolds, after controlling for the effects of some indicators of lifestyle patterns, namely, smoking, physical activity, family history of diabetes and diet, in 262 adult White and 100 migrant Pakistani (of Kashmiri origin) males in Peterborough, East Anglia, England.
Amongst individuals regularly consuming various dietary products, Pakistani men had significantly lower mean chest, minimum waist and maximum hip circumferences compared with Caucasians; they also had significantly higher mean abdomen, subscapular and suprailiac skinfolds, but significantly lower mean forearm skinfold. Ethnicity was found to have significant associations with chest (p<0.01), waist (p<0.025), and hip (p<0.05) circumferences; and abdomen (p<0.005), subscapular (p<0.001), suprailiac (p<0.025), midaxillary (p<0.05) and forearm (p<0.005) skinfolds, after removing the combined effects of smoking, physical activity and various dietary products. Results also indicated that migrant Pakistanis had significantly higher mean abdomen (+4.6 mm), subscapular (+5.3 mm), suprailiac (+4.4 mm) and midaxillary skinfolds (+3.3 mm); but significantly lower mean forearm (−1.2 mm) and medial calf (−1.2 mm) skinfolds, and chest circumference (−1.8 cm), after removing the combined effects of age, age2, smoking status, physical activity undertaken, diet and family history of diabetes. These significant ethnic differences existed even after removing the effect of body mass index (BMI).
This investigation provides clear evidence that the significant ethnic difference in regional adiposity between adult Caucasians and migrant Pakistanis of Kashmiri origin was not due to the various lifestyle indicators but may be influenced by genetic determinants. Further studies are needed to determine the nature and extent of the genetic component of this ethnic heterogeneity in regional adiposity between Caucasians and migrant Pakistanis.
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Bose, K., Mascie-Taylor, C.G.N. Ethnic differences in regional adiposity between adult caucasian and migrant pakistani males which are unexplained by some common indicators of lifestyles. Int. J. Anthropol. 12, 63–72 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02447898
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02447898