Body index measurements in 1996-7 compared with 1980

Abstract

Objectives-To compare the distribution of body mass index (BMI) in a national representative study in The Netherlands in 1996-7 with that from a study in 1980. Methods-Cross sectional data on height, weight, and demographics of 14 500 boys and girls of Dutch origin, aged 0-21 years, were collected from 1996 to 1997. BMI references were derived using the LMS method. The 90th, 50th, and 10th BMI centiles of the 1980 study were used as baseline. Association of demographic variables with BMI-SDS was assessed by ANOVA. Results-BMI age reference charts were constructed. From 3 years of age onwards 14-22% of the children exceeded the 90th centile of 1980, 52-60% the 50th centile, and 92-95% the 10th centile. BMI was related to region, educational level of parents (negatively) and family size (negatively). The −0.9, +1.1, and +2.3 SD lines in 1996-7 corresponded to the adult cut oV points of 20, 25, and 30 kg/m 2 recommended by the World Health Organisation/ European childhood obesity group. Conclusion-BMI age references have increased in the past 17 years. Therefore, strategies to prevent obesity in childhood should be a priority in child public health. (Arch Dis Child 2000;82:107-112) Keywords: body mass index; reference values; Netherlands; obesity Body mass index (BMI; weight/height 2 ) as a measure for underweight and overweight is widely accepted. For adults, a pragmatic classification system exists, based on associations between body mass index and all cause mortality.1 Recently, BMI cut oV values for adults were redefined and divided into six classes: < 18.5 kg/m 2 , underweight; 18.5-24.9 kg/m 2 , ideal weight; 25.0-29.9 kg/m 2 , preobese; 30.0-34.9 kg/m 2 , obese class I; 35.0-39.9 kg/m 2 , obese class II; and > 40 kg/m 2 , obese class III.

Body Size of Twins Compared with Siblings and the General Population: From Birth to Late Adolescence

“…The above-average BMI of the siblings may be in line with the increasing prevalence of overweight in children. 31 The time interval between the reference values 26 and our measurements was about 10 years, and it is very likely that BMI age references will have increased in that time. Another possibility we investigated is that the above-average BMI of siblings could be explained by a higher BMI of the dizygotic siblings.…”

“…Standard deviation scores (SDS) were calculated for height, weight, and BMI at ages 1, 4, and 18 with the software package Growth analyzer 3, 24 with the Dutch reference growth charts for the general population from 1997. 25,26 Weight and BMI reference values were available up to age 21 years. Leg length was obtained by subtracting sitting height from height.…”

Preterm birth and later insulin resistance: effects of birth weight and postnatal growth in a population based longitudinal study from birth into adult life

“…Auxological data at birth and on subsequent occasions were converted to standard deviation scores (SDSs), to correct for (gestational) age and sex, using Swedish references for preterm infants [20], and recently collected Dutch references [14,21,22], respectively.…”

Psychiatric disorders and symptom severity in referred versus non-referred overweight children and adolescents

“…The referred sample consisted of 115 overweight youngsters (69 girls; 46 boys) admitted for treatment of their overweight with a mean age of 13.76 years (SD = 2.20; range [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]. The non-referred sample consisted of 73 overweight children and adolescents (45 girls; 28 boys) with a mean age of 13.74 years (SD = 2.54; range 8-18).…”