Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Communication
  • Published:

Lower resting metabolic rate and higher velocity of weight gain in a prospective study of stunted vs nonstunted girls living in the shantytowns of São Paulo, Brazil

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 59, pages 835–842 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

Previous studies have shown that stunting increases the risk of obesity in developing countries, particularly among girls and women, but the underlying reasons are not known. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between stunting, weight gain, and resting metabolic rate.

Design and subjects:

A prospective study was conducted over 36 months with girls from shantytowns in São Paulo, Brazil. A total of 15 stunted girls (S) were compared with 15 nonstunted (N) ones of similar weight for height ratio.

Interventions:

Resting metabolic rate was measured using indirect calorimetry, and the socioeconomic status was determined by interviews in the household. In addition, body composition was measured by skinfold thickness, while the growth rate was calculated dividing the change in weight and the change in height by the follow-up period.

Results:

The results of the present study, when combined, revealed that the S group had a lower resting metabolic rate throughout the follow-up period with the differences being significant at 24 and 36 months of follow-up, associated with an increase in the rate of weight gain and a decrease in lean mass, when compared to the N group.

Conclusions:

These changes are known to be risk factors for obesity and may help to explain the particularly higher prevalence of obesity in women in urban areas of developing countries.

Access through your institution
Buy or subscribe

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Access through your institution

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allen LH & Gillespie SR (2001): What works? A review of the efficacy and effectiveness of nutrition interventions. United Nations Administrative Committe on Coordinator/Sub-Committe on Nutrition - ACC/SCN in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank, Manila., Geneva, 123pp.

  • Amigo H, Bustos P, Leone C & Radrigán ME (2001): Growth deficits in Chilean school children. J. Nutr. 131, 251–254.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Anção MS, Cuppari L, Tudisco ES, Draibe AS & Sigulem D (1993): Programa de apoio a nutrição. 2. ed. São Paulo: Centro de Informática em Saúde/UNIFESP.

  • Armellini F, Robbi R, Zamboni M, Todesco T, Castelli S & Bosello O (1992): RMR, body fat distribution, and visceral fat in obese women. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 56, 981–987.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bonithon-Kopp C, Raison J, Courbon D, Bonhomme G, Guy-Grand B & Ducimetière P (1992): Relationships betweeen 3-y longitudinal changes in body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, and metabolic variables in an active French female population. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 56, 475–482.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cameron N (1984): The Measurement of Human Growth. Australia: Croom Helm.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crescenzo R, Samec S, Antic V, Rohner-Jeanrenaud F, Seydoux J, Montani J & Dullo AG (2003): A role for suppressed thermogenesis favoring catch-up fat in the pathophysiology of catch-up growth. Diabetes 52, 1090–1097.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • De Onis M, Monteiro C, Akre J & Clugstron G. (1993): The worldwide magnitude of protein-energy malnutrition: an overview of the WHO global database on child growth. Bull WHO 71, 703–712.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Deurenberg P, Pieters JJL & Hautvast JGAJ (1990): The assessment of the body fat percentage by skinfold thickness measurements in childhood and young adolescence. Br. J. Nutr. 63, 293–303.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Florêncio TMMD, Ferreira HS, Cavalcante JC, França APT & Sawaya AL (2001): Obesity and undernutrition in a very low income population in the city of Maceió, Northeatern Brazil. Br. J. Nutr. 86, 277–284.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garn SM, Sullivan T & Victor H (1988): Evidence against functional differences between “central and peripheral” fat. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 47, 836–839.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gibson RS (1990): Principles of Nutritional Assessment. New York, USA: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gupta MC (1990): Effect of ascariasis upon nutritional status of children. J. Trop. Pediatr. 36, 189–191.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hamill PVV, Drizd TA, Johnson CL, Reed RB, Roche AF & Moore WM (1979): Physical growth: National center for Health Statistics Percentiles. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 32, 607–629.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hammer LD, Wilson DM, Litt IF, Killen JD, Hayward C & Miner B (1991): The impact of pubertal development on body fat distribution among Caucasian, Hispanic and Asian female adolescents. J. Pediatr. 118, 975–980.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hoffman DJ, Sawaya AL, Coward A, Wrigh A, Martins P, Nascimento C & Roberts S (2000a): Energy expenditure of stunted and nonstunted boys and girls living in the shantytowns of São Paulo, Brazil. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 72, 1025–1031.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hoffman DJ, Sawaya AL, Verreschi I, Tucker KL & Roberts S (2000b): Why are nutritionally stunded children at increased risk of obesity? Studies of metabolic rate and fat oxidation in shantytown children from São Paulo, Brazil. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 72, 702–707.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Holliday MA, Potter D, Jarrah A & Beargs S (1967): The relation of metabolic rate to body weight and organ size. Pediatr. Res. 1, 185–195.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Holliday MA (1971): Metabolic rate and organ size during growth from infancy to maturity and during late gestation and early infancy. Pediatrics 47, 169–179.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kurpad AV, Kulkarni RN & Shetty PS (1989): Reduced thermoregulatory in undernutrition. Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 43, 27–33.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lohman TG, Roche AF & Martorell R (1991): Anthropometric Standardization Reference Manual Abridged Edition Champagne, IL: Human Kinetics Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martell M, Belitzky R & Gaviria J (1988): Velocidad de crecimiento en niños nacidos pretermino y con bajo peso. In: Crescimiento y desarrolo. Hechos e Tendencias. Publicatión Científica. n. 510, Washington, DC, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martins PA, Hoffman DJ, Fernandes MTB, Nascimento CR, Roberts SB, Sesso R & Sawaya AL (2004): Stunted children gain less lean body mass and more fat mass than their non-stunted counterparts: a prospective study. Br. J. Nutr. 92, 1–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pelto GH, Urgello J, Allen LH, Chavez A, Martinez H, Menezes L, Capacchione C & Backstrand J (1991): Household size, food intake and anthropometric status of school-age children in a highland Mexican area. Soc. Sci. Med. 33, 1135–1140.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ravussin E & Swinburn BA (1993): Metabolic predictors of obesity: cross-sectional versus longitudinal data. International J. Obes. Relat. Metab. Dis. 17 (Suppl), 28–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roberts SB, Savage J, Coward WA, Chew B & Lucas A. (1988): Energy expenditure and intake in infants born to lean and overweight mothers. N. Engl. J. Med. 318, 461–466.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sawaya AL, Dallal G, Solymos G, Sousa MH, Ventura ML, Roberts SB & Sigulem DM (1995): Obesity and malnutrition in a shantytown population in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Obes. Res. 3, 107s–1115s.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sichieri R, Recine E & Everthart JE (1995): Growth and body mass index of Brazilians age 9 though 17 years. Obes. Res. 3 (Suppl 2), 117S–121S.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sichieri R, Siqueira KS, Pereira RA & Ascherio A (2000): Short stature and hypertension in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Public Health Nutr. 3, 77–82.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Slaughter MH, Lohman TG, Boileau RA, Horswell CA, Stillmann RJ, Van LMD & Bemben DA (1988): Skinfold equations for estimation of body fatness in children and youth. Hum. Biol. 60, 709–723.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Soares MJ, Peers LS, Shetty PS, Robinson S, Jackson AA & Waterlow JC (1991): Basal metabolic rate, body composition and whole-body protein turnover in Indian men with differing nutritional status. Clin. Sci. 81, 419–425.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Soares-Wynter SY & Walker SP (1996): Resting metabolic rate and body composition in stunted and nonstunted children. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 64, 137–141.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Spurr GB & Reina JC (1987): Marginal malnutrition in school-aged colombian girls: dietary intervention and daily energy expenditure. Hum. Nutr.: Clin. Nutr. 41, 93–104.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Spurr GB & Reina JC (1988): Basal metabolic rate of normal and marginally undernourished mestizo children in colombia. Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 42, 753–764.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Spurr GB & Reina JC (1989): Energy expenditure / basal metabolic rate rations in normal and marginally undernourished colombian children 6-16 years of age. Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 43, 515–527.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sukkar MY, Kemm JR, Ballal MA & Ahmed TS (1980): Growth velocity in children in rural Khartoum, Sudan. Ann. Hum. Biol. 7, 473–479.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tanner JM (1969): Growth and endocrinology of the adolescent. In: Endocrine and Genetic Diseases of Childhood, LI Gardner (ed.) pp. 19–69. Philadelphia, WB: Saunders.

    Google Scholar 

  • Velásquez-Melendez G, Martins IS, Cervato AM, Fornés NS, Marucci MFN & Collho LT (1999): Relationship between stature, overweight and central obesity in the adult population in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Int. J. Obes. Relat. Metab. Dis. 23, 639–644.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waterlow JC (1976): Classification and definition of protein-energy malnutrition. In: Nutrition in Preventive Medicine: the Major Deficiency Syndromes, Epidemiology and Approaches to Control. GH Beaton and JM Bengoa eds pp 530–555. Geneva: World Health Organization.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waterlow JC (1977): The presentation, and use of height and weight data for comparing the nutritional status of groups of children under the age of 10 years. Bull. World Health Organization 55, 489–498.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weiner JS & Lourie JA (1969): Human Biology: A Guide to Field Methods International Biological Programme. IBP Handbook no 9, Oxford, Endinburgh: Blackwell Scientific Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization (1995): Physical status: The use and interpretation of anthropometry: report of a WHO expert committee. WHO Techinical Report Series 854. anthropometry: report of a WHO expert committee. WHO Techinical Report Series 854.

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants from Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa de São Paulo (FAPESP) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universidade do Vale do Itajaí, Balneário Camboriú, Santa Catarina, Brazil

    L P Grillo

  2. Federal University of São Paulo, Paulista School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil

    A F A Siqueira, A C Silva, P A Martins, I T N Verreschi & A L Sawaya

Authors
  1. L P Grillo
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A F A Siqueira
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A C Silva
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  4. P A Martins
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  5. I T N Verreschi
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  6. A L Sawaya
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to L P Grillo.

Additional information

Guarantor: LP Grillo.

Contributors: 1-LPG was responsible for research design, conduction of the study and for the writing the document. AFAS and ACS collected the data. PAM and ITN collaborated in the analysis, interpretation and discussion of the results. ALS was the advisor of the study.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Grillo, L., Siqueira, A., Silva, A. et al. Lower resting metabolic rate and higher velocity of weight gain in a prospective study of stunted vs nonstunted girls living in the shantytowns of São Paulo, Brazil. Eur J Clin Nutr 59, 835–842 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602150

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602150

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links