Anthropometrical antecedents of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus: an age and sex matched comparison study of anthropometric indices in schoolchildren from a high prevalence Port Moresby community.
Anthropometrical indices of 66 school children aged between 7 and 9 years from a community with a very high prevalence of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) were compared with those of age and sex matched school children from two low prevalence communities. Two way analysis of variance indicated that case children of both sexes were significantly lighter (P < 0.001), shorter (P < 0.001) and had lower body mass indices (BMI) (P < 0.001) than their comparisons but had greater triceps skinfold thickness (TSFT) (P = 0.01). These differences may be a reflection of subtle changes in metabolism in children destined, without intervention, to develop NIDDM. Anthropometrical indices may therefore have a role to play in the prediction of future disease. Although not the prime objective of the study, an analysis of available birth weights indicated a lower mean birth weight for the cases than the controls (difference of means, 0.35 kg; 95% confidence intervals (CI95%). 0.13-0.57). This finding is consistent with the theory that impaired intrauterine growth may predispose to NIDDM.