FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS	ESN: FAO/WHO/UNU EPR/81/INF.5 September 1981
	WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
	THE UNITED NATIONS UNIVERSITY

INFORMATION PAPER NO.5

Joint FAO/WHO/UNU Expert Consultation on
Energy and Protein Requirements

Rome, 5 to 17 October 1981

ENERGY INTAKE, ANTHROPOMETRIC AND FUNCTIONAL DATA IN VARIOUS AGE GROUPS

by

Jana Parízková
Charles University
Prague
Czechoslovakia

Anthropometric data serve as one of the indicators of the nutritional status of both individuals and populations. Nevertheles, body size is not always an optimal measure of the nutritional efficiency and status : some authors have already proved that often a bellow-standard body weight and height has not been necessarily connected with poor health or unsatisfactory physical performance (Fanconi 1969, Waterlaw and Alleyne 1971, Pařízková 1977a, etc.), and vice versa. The relationships between physique, health and performance vary widely, similarly as the interindividual variability in these parameters. This appears even in quite homogeneous social, economic, etc. conditions.

Selected adata seem to indicate that the interindividual variability based on genetic factors may increase futher with age, obviously due to the interaction of additional influences of the environment (pařízková 1981).

Complex informations on anthropometric and functional characteristics together with food intake which enable the more detailed analysis of the above mentioned relationships are relatively rare, especially in very young or old subjects. Therefore selected age groups in Prague were measured : preschool children, adults and then men of advanced age. All groups were followed both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Anthropometric data, body composition, food intake and selected functional and motor parameters, modified according to age were studied. Special attention was paid to preschool children and men around 80 years of age.

A) Preschool children were normal healthy children attending randomly selected kindergartens in Prague. Their anthropometric characteristics, first of all their height and weight corresponded to the national standards (Kapalín 1967) as well as those of the other European nations (e.g. Tanner et al. 1966). The mean values of selected parameters of morphological and functional development are given in Tables 1–3 (Pařízková et al. 1977). - Part of the children was followed longitudinally; mean values from the longitudinal study (Fig. 1–4; Pařízková and Adamec 1980), did not differ from the cross-sectional data gained previously in other groups of Prague preschool children (Pařízková et al. 1977) as well as from representative samples of children 6.4 years old measured in Bohemia and Moravia (Pařízková 19776). This seems to indicate that all children studied by us represented approximately an average sample of urban children of our country. - Sexual differences in body physique and fatness were obvious (greater height, weight, circumferential measures with the exception of the thigh, and greater robusticity of the skeleton in boys along with lower fatness - Pařízková et al. 1977).

Cardioresoiratory efficiency was evaluated by means of a modified step test (čermák et al. 1973, Pařízková 1977a). Mean values of pulse frequency during rest, work load (mounting a step 25 cm high with the frequency of 30 per minute) and recovery showed that this test was not an inadequate strain for preschool children : steady state was achieved in 2nd minute, recovery was complete in within 2nd–3rd minute (Fig. 3,4). Children did not achieve maximal values of pulse frequency, as e.g. during a spontaneous play (cca 200 per minute, as shown by telemetry - KuĎera et al. 1976). No significant sexual differences appeared in contrast to the results of motor performance : in this case boys had better results (Figure 2, Table 3) and showed also greater hand grip strength (Pařízková et al. 1977, Pařízková and Adamec 1980). These differences were apparent in both cross-sectional and longitudinal measurements. Functional capacity and performance in all functional and motor tests improved significantly with age, i.e. from 3 to 6 years.

In all measurements large interindividual differences were found. Variation coefficients as regards morphological parameters were greatest for fatness (sum of ten skinfolds), and then for body weight, and least for the circumference of the head. As regards motor performance, greatest variability was found for cricket ball throw, lowest for 20 m dash.

The results of e.g. 20 m dash were significantly related to the results of step test which both characterize first of all the cardiorespiratory efficiency. - The analysis of the relationships between body size (which reflects partly also nutritional status) and fatness did not show, at least in our relatively homogeneous groups (i.e. without extremes in both positive and negative sense as regards social, economic and nutritional conditions) any regular relationships. This means that the comparison of the biggest and most rapidly growing children with their smaller peers did not always show better results in step test or other motor performance tests in the former. Thus larger body dimensions cannot automatically guarantee better functional capacity, especially as regards dynamic performance. -The same was found in italian preschool children (Ferro-Luzzi et al. 1979), or in older Tunisian children (Pařízková and Merhautová 1970).

In a selected group of children the food intake was evaluated (Tab. 4,5). Mean values were higher than standards, both national (Hejda and Ošancová 1981) or international (WHO, etc.). -Both energy and or individual components intakes varied widely.

Food intake was not regularly related to body size or functional capacity and motor performance : biggest children did not always eat most, nor did they have best physical performance. But 6-years-old children with greater body size had better results in step test and motor performance than 3 years old children. In our groups no remarkable obesity was detected : it seems that overabudant nutrition results in normal preschool children in generally more accelerated growth of all body dimensions, than in excess laydown of fat (Pařízková 1977a).

B) The second group investigated consisted of adults of both sexes participating in voluntary recreational exercise activities (one hour twice a week). These groups did not seem to differ significantly from normal population as regards health status; occasionally some pathological findings were observed, which nevertheless did not interfere with usual professional as well as recreational activities of our adult subjects.

Body physique and composition as well as the aerobic capacity (measured as maximal oxygen uptake during maximal work load on a veloergometer by Eiselt and Pařízková 1980) corresponded to national and international standards (Collins and Weiner 1977).

The measurements of food intake proved values well comparable to national recommended allowances (Hejda and Ošancová 1981; Tables 4–5). Correlation analysis showed in our groups no relationships between the actual food intake, body weight (absolute and relative), depot fat, aerobic capacity, results of motor performance tests (Pařízková et al. in press). The only significant relationship was found between percent body fat and the levle level of triglycerides (Pařízková et al. 1979). Assessment of physical activity by detailed questionnaire (Tepl 1979) did not reveal relations between the duration and intensity of the physical activity and exercise, and mentioned morphological, functional and nutritional characteristics. It is necessary to mention that in the groups studied top athletes or obese inactive subjects were not included. All parameters measured, however, varied more than in children, but in the range of our groups no significant interrelationships could be proved.

C) Finally, a group of men of the advanced age were studied repeatedly from the abovementioned aspects. Changes in the body physique during sixteen years between the age of 65.37 and 81.50 years are shown in Table 6. These values did not differ significantly from previous cross-sectional measurements in larger groups of old men (Pařízková and Eiselt 1966, 1971). The results indicate that the long-living men preserved in relatively good health and physical status were characterized in the majority of cases by slightly fluctuating body weight, decreaseing height and spread of the arms and the circumferences of the extremities. Biiliocristal diameter increased along with the circumferences of the chest and abdomen. Skinfolds decreased which with the constant body weights indicates that depot fat moved to body cavities, (Pařízková and Eiselt 1980). -The food intake showed again normal values according to national standards for this age group. The variability of the intake of energy and individual components was greatest as compared to all other groups.

The aerobic capacity, measured regularly in previous studies (Eiselt and Pařízková 1975, Pařízková 1977) could be performed only in three men (Eiselt and Pařízková 1979). Body physique was not markedly related to health status and food intake.

The abovementioned results gave some recent complex data on various age groups living in relatively homogeneous conditions of life, i.e. without extremes as regards social, economic etc. factors. Yet a marked variability especially in body fatness and spontaneous food intake was found. In the range of usual conditions and way of life of our country very few significant relationships between abovementioned characteristics could be proved. Greater food intake and or body size did not seem to be connected with better functional capacity and physical fitness, especially when having in mind dynamic work of the aerobic character; very often quite a reverse was true. These results may indicate a need of further discussion and analysis of the following questions:

1. which criteria to use for an improved definition of an individualized optimal food intake as regards desirable physical performance, health and longevity in various population groups

2. from the point of view of local economic and energy resources in various parts of the world, how to define an “optimal minimum” of food intake, its composition, frequency of individual meals etc. assuring an adequate development during ontogeny

3. consider the possibility how to manipulate positively the growth and development of the human organism using the impact of nutrition and/or physical activity stimuli starting with the very beginning of life, when adaptational processes can cause more marked late effects.

References

Čermák J., Pařízková J.,Venclík Z., Mařatková A.: Physiol.bohemoslov. 22:377, 1973

Eiselt E., Pařízková J.: Medicina dello Sport 28:99, 1975

Eiselt E., Pařízková J.: In: Nutrition and Physical Activity Regimes in the Actual World. Int. Symposium, Liblice 1979.Ed.J.Pařízková, FTVS UK and Czechosl.comm.nutr.čSAV, Prague 1979.P.338 (in Czech)

Fanconi G.: In:Protein-energy malnutrition.Ed.A.vonMuralt, Springer Verlag, Berlin - Heidelberg - New York, 1969.P.57

Ferro-Luzzi A., D'Amicis A.D., Ferrini A.M., Maiale G.: Biblthca Nutr.Dieta 27:85,1979

Hejda S., Ošancová K.: Recommended allowances for Czechoslovak population. Ed.Assoc.rational Nutr., Prague 1981 (in Czech)

Kapalín V.: In: Manual for Medical Praxis. Ed.J.Charvát, Aricenum, Prague 1967.P.109

Pařízková J.: Body Fat and Physical Fitness. Martinus Nijhoff B.V. Medical Division, The Hague 1977a

Pařízková J.: Growth and Development: Physique Symposium Biol.Hung. 20:235, 1977b

Pařízková J., Adamec A.: Amer.J.Phys.Anthrop. 52:387, 1980

Pařízková J., Čermák J., Horná J.: Human Biol.49:437, 1977

Pařízková J., Eiselt E.: Human Biol.38:351, 1966

Pařízková J., Eiselt E.: Human Biol.43:318, 1971

Pařízková J., Eiselt E.: Human Biol. 52:803, 1980

Pařízková J., Merhautová J.: Human Biol.42:391, 1970

Pařízková J., Šonka J., Melicharová E.: In: Ernährung, Körperkultur und Gesundheit.Ed.J.Pařízková et al., J.A.Barth, Leipzig, GDR, in press

Tanner J.M., Whitehouse R.H., Takaishi M.: Arch.Dis.Child.41:454, 1966

Tepl Z.: In: Nutrition and Physical Activity Regimes in the Actual World.Int.Symposium, Liblice 1979.Ed.J.Pařízková, FTVS UK and Czechosl.comm.Nutr.ČSAV, Prague 1979.P.77 (in Czech)

Waterlaw J., Alleyne G.A.O.: Advances in Prot.Chem.25:117, 1971

Table 1

Mean Values (± SD) of Anthropometric Measurements in Preschool Children

Table 2

Mean Values (±SD) of Skinfold Thicknesses Measured with Harpenden Caliper (on the Left Side of the Body), and of Sum of Ten Skinfolds Measured by Best's Modified Caliper (on the Right Side of the Body) in Preschool Children (mm)

Table 3

Mean Values (± SD) of Functional and Motor Development Parameters in Preschool Children

1. Development of skinfold thickness in preschool boys and girls during a three year longitudinal study, (Harpenden caliper)

2. Development of physical performance and hand grip strength year longitudinal study.

3. Changes in pulse frequency during 3 minutes rest, 5 minutes work load i.e., step test, and during 5 minutes recovery in preschool boys and girls at the occasion of 1st and 4th measurements.

4. Changes in pulse frequency during 3 minutes rest, 5 minutes work load, and 5 minutes of recovery in preschool boys and girls on the occasion of 1st, 3rd, and 5th measurements.

Table 4.

Mean values (± SD) of energy, protein and fat intake in preschool children (3–6 years)

Table 5.

Mean values (± SD) of carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins in preschool children

Table 6

Table 7

Mean values (± SD) of energy, protein, fat, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins intake in men of advanced age (IInd measurement at the age of 81.50 years)