Abstract:

Objective  To collect body composition data of Qiang adults in Maoxian, Sichuan Province, in order to reveal the body composition characteristics of Qiang. Methods  A total of 602 adults of Qiang were randomly selected. The bioelectrical impedance method was used to measure the body composition of the subjects. The data were processed by SPSS 17.0. Results  There was a statistically significant difference between male and female Qiang adults in all index. The index related to fat in Qiang adults had a significant correlation with age. Percent body fat, percent trunk fat and visceral fat level increased gradually with age. The total body muscle mass increased first and then decreased with the increase of age. 58.6% of males and 63.7% of females were overweight or obese, 31.8% of men and 43.6% of women were at central obesity, which may lead to a higher prevalence of obesity-related diseases. Conclusion  The Qiang adults have more body fat and more developed muscles and bones, which may be related to the low temperature in Maoxian.

Key words: Qiang, Body composition, Obesity, Central obesity, Bioelectrical impedance method, Adult