Verification Regarding Physical Growth Characteristic of Fatty-type in Youth

-Analysis Based on South Korean Longitudinal Growth Data-

Abstract

Obesity is defined as a state of excessive accumulation of fat in the body. Studies on obesity are too numerous to mention, but there are almost no reported investigations of characteristics in obesity by the observation of the growth process. This study analyzed longitudinal growth process of height based on body fatness classifications, using data on the longitudinal growth in physique of Korean youth. The subjects were 1,701 twelfth grade students (final year of high school; 865 boys and 835 girls) from the area around Busan, South Korea. A retrospective survey of the subjects’ health checkup records was done, and longitudinal data on height and weight were obtained. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated from the respective height and weight in each age, and subjects were categorized by body fatness type from BMI statistics. Wavelet interpolation was applied to the obtained growth velocity in height from 6 years until 17 years, and a growth velocity curve was described. The age at the maximum peak velocity (MPV) was specified from a velocity curve derived from the described growth velocity curve. A tracking analysis was also done of the status in 17 years of children classified as obese in 6 years. The results suggest that both boys and girls classified as having the obese body type mature early, and while the height of obese type children is maintained until puberty their final height is conjectured to be no different from the standard type. The migration rate of obese type children in 6 years was 51% for boys and 54% for girls.