ABSTRACT
Prospective studies have shown that a central pattern of body fat, with relatively more fat stored on the trunk compared to the extremities, is associated with an increased risk for coronary heart diseases (CHD), independent from total body fatness[1, 2]. The development of a centra] pattern of body fat starts in adolescence[3]. Many studies on the distribution of body fat have been carried out in adults and mainly used a cross-sectional design. Longitudinal studies from adolescence into adulthood, investigating factors associated with the development of a central pattern of body fat, are limited.
