Trends in the prevalence of elevated skinfold thickness among children and adolescents in Shandong Province, China, 1995-2014.

OBJECTIVE: There are abundant data on secular trends in BMI; however, information on the change in subcutaneous fat is limited. The present study examined the trends in the prevalence of elevated skinfold thickness among children and adolescents over the past 19 years (1995-2014) in Shandong Province, China.

DESIGN: Data for the study were obtained from two cross-sectional surveys of schoolchildren carried out in 1995 and 2014. Triceps and subscapular skinfold thicknesses (SFT) of all participants were measured. The sum of triceps and subscapular SFT (SSFT) was applied. Children and adolescents with SSFT above or equal to the national age- and sex-specific 85th percentile were defined as 'high SFT'.

SETTING: Shandong Province, China.

SUBJECTS: A total of 16 917 students aged 7-18 years were included.

RESULTS: For both boys and girls, an increasing trend in 'high SFT' was observed between 1995 and 2014. The overall prevalence of 'high SFT' increased from 10·31 % for boys and 13·40 % for girls in 1995 to 33·94 % for boys and 29·30 % for girls in 2014 (P<0·01).

CONCLUSIONS: There are more children and adolescents with very high levels of SFT. These trends describe very unfavourable changes in the body composition and should give cause for concern.