In young children, WHtR is not superior to WC or BMI in estimating BF%, nor is WHtR better correlated with cardiometabolic risk factors than WC or BMI in overweight/obese children. These data do not support the use of WHtR in young children.

Background/Objectives: Both intra-abdominal adipose tissue (IAAT) and subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue (SAAT) are associated with cardiovascular risk factors, even in childhood. Currently, the gold standard in assessing IAAT and SAAT is computed tomography (CT), which is not widely applicable. The aim of this study was to estimate abdominal fat using anthropometry, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and ultrasound, and compare these estimates with the amounts of IAAT and SAAT determined by CT in 6 to 7-year-old children. Subjects/Methods: In 31 healthy children, weight, height, circumferences, skinfolds, DEXA, abdominal ultrasound and CT were performed. Measurements were compared by simple correlations and receiver operating characteristic analyses. Results: Total abdominal fat on CT did not differ between boys and girls (86.5 versus 89.8 cm 3 , P ¼ 0.84). Boys had a higher IAAT to SAAT ratio than girls (0.56 versus 0.37, P ¼ 0.03). The sum of supra-iliac and abdominal skinfolds was most strongly correlated with SAAT on CT (r ¼ 0.93, Po0.001), and the abdominal skinfold with IAAT on CT (r ¼ 0.72, Po0.001). Diagnosis of subcutaneous abdominal and intra-abdominal adiposity can also be made using skinfolds. The associations with circumferences, body mass index and DEXA were less pronounced; however, these techniques can also be used to classify children according to SAAT and IAAT. Ultrasound can be used to diagnose subcutaneous adiposity, although it was not superior to skinfold measurements. Conclusion: Skinfold measurements are the best non-invasive technique in predicting subcutaneous as well as intra-abdominal fat in our population of 6 to 7-year-old children.

Aim: To determine parental, especially paternal factors associated with the weight of the placenta and offspring. Methods: This population-based birth-cohort study includes 2947 singleton children born from April 2006 to 2007 and living in Drenthe, The Netherlands. Placental weight and birth weight were measured and questionnaires were filled out for this cohort. Associations between parental factors, and the weight of the placenta and the offspring were evaluated using univariate and multivariate linear regression models. Results: Univariate regression revealed that the paternal birth weight and body mass index (BMI) of the father were predictors for placental and birth weight of the offspring. However, they were not independent predictors. Independent predictors for placental weight were the maternal factors of pre-pregnancy BMI, birth weight, and diabetes. The maternal factors of weight gain during pregnancy, birth weight, smoking during pregnancy, and diabetes were independent predictors for birth weight of the offspring. Conclusion: Paternal as well as maternal factors influence the weight of the placenta and the offspring.