Body mass index and percentage fat mass in healthy German schoolchildren and adolescents

Schaefer, Franz; Georgi, M.; Wühl, Elke; Schärer, K

doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0800608

Cited by 127 publications

(103 citation statements)

References 23 publications

(13 reference statements)

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“…The varying prevalence of overweight and obesity in children around the globe, suggests that a population specific reference is favourable over an international one, so that genetic, cultural and environmental differences between countries are accounted for (Schaefer et al, 1998;Reilly, 2002). There are currently no BMI-age charts developed for an Irish reference population.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevalence of overweight and obesity in Irish school children, using four different definitions

et al. 2006

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Objective: To determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Irish children using four different weight-for-height methods and to examine secular trends from previous national data. Design: A cross-sectional survey. Weight and height were measured according to standard procedures and used to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity using four weight-for-height methods of assessment, actual relative weight, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention body mass index (BMI) for age charts for boys and girls, the BMI reference curves for the UK 1990 and the International Obesity Task Force age-and sex-specific BMI cutoffs. Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity in Irish children is high, but varies considerably with each method. The prevalence of obesity in boys ranged from 4.1 to 11.2 % and in girls from 9.3 to 16.3%. Between 1990 and 2005, depending on the method used, there was a two-to-fourfold increase in obesity in children aged 8-12 years. Conclusion: It is evident given the variation displayed in the prevalence of obesity when using the different methods, that there is a discernible need for a single definition to identify the obese child in Ireland. The findings show a high prevalence of overweight and obesity in Irish school children and the increase in the prevalence of obesity over the last 15 years highlights this growing public health issue.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevalence of overweight and obesity in Irish school children, using four different definitions

et al. 2006

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“…Another German group recommended the 75th percentile because it was the most appropriate cut-off value to screen for the 15% most obese patients by PBF. 21 Thus, even on a national basis there is still no consensus for the appropriate cut-off points.…”

Section: Bmi and Fatness In Children K Widhalm Et Almentioning

confidence: 99%

Does the BMI reflect body fat in obese children and adolescents? A study using the TOBEC method

et al. 2001

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OBJECTIVE: Due to the fact that obesity is de®ned as excess of body fat mass, we tested the hypothesis whether the body mass index (BMI) can be used as a valid measure for the detection of the degree of obesity in individual obese children and adolescents. METHODS: A total of 204 obese children and adolescents (105 boys, 99 girls) aged 6 ± 17 y, using total body electrical conductivity (TOBEC) for fat measurement, were included into this study.A multiple regression analysis was performed with percentage body fat (PBF) as dependent variable and BMI, age and sex as independent variables. First-and second-order interaction terms were also included. Since all interaction terms showed a signi®cant in¯uence on PBF, regression analysis was performed separately for boys and girls, dividing each group into two age subgroups (subjects younger than 10 y, and subjects 10 y or older). RESULTS: BMI and PBF were observed to be positively correlated (overall: r 0,65; P 0.0001; boys r 0.63 and girls: r 0.68). Through a multiple regression analysis 57% of the variance of PBF could be explained by the independent variables. In boys younger than 10 y 73% and in girls younger than 10 y 63% of the variance of PBF was explained by the BMI. In subjects 10 y or older the association was poor (boys: 27%; girls: 38%). It should be emphasized that there is a wide range in the relationship between PBF and BMI in the obese subjects. CONCLUSION: From these results we conclude that BMI might be a useful parameter for epidemiological studies: however in the individual pediatric patient, especially from 10 y onwards, it gives only a limited insight to the degree of obesity based on the de®nition.

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“…BMI levels among adults are highly correlated with %body fat, and in combination with race, sex, and age, multiple R 2 -values of 0.7-0.8 have been reported. [4][5][6][7] Associations among children and adolescents have been more variable, [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21] and relatively weak correlations (ro0.6) have been reported in several subgroups. 8,10,11,13,15,21 These weaker associations among children and adolescents may be attributable to the asynchronous changes that occur in the levels of fat mass and fat-free mass during growth.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relation of BMI to fat and fat-free mass among children and adolescents

et al. 2004

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OBJECTIVE:Although the body mass index (BMI, kg/m 2 ) is widely used as a surrogate measure of adiposity, it is a measure of excess weight, rather than excess body fat, relative to height. We examined the relation of BMI to levels of fat mass and fat-free mass among healthy 5-to 18-y-olds. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to measure fat and fat-free mass among 1196 subjects. These measures were standardized for height by calculating the fat mass index (FMI, fat mass/ht 2 ) and the fat-free mass index (FFMI, fat-free mass/ht 2 ). RESULTS: The variability in FFMI was about 50% of that in FMI, and the accuracy of BMI as a measure of adiposity varied greatly according to the degree of fatness. Among children with a BMI-for-age Z85th P, BMI levels were strongly associated with FMI (r ¼ 0.85-0.96 across sex-age categories). In contrast, among children with a BMI-for-age o50th P, levels of BMI were more strongly associated with FFMI (r ¼ 0.56-0.83) than with FMI (r ¼ 0.22-0.65). The relation of BMI to fat mass was markedly nonlinear, and substantial differences in fat mass were seen only at BMI levels Z85th P. DISCUSSION: BMI levels among children should be interpreted with caution. Although a high BMI-for-age is a good indicator of excess fat mass, BMI differences among thinner children can be largely due to fat-free mass.

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Body mass index and percentage fat mass in healthy German schoolchildren and adolescents

Cited by 127 publications

References 23 publications

Prevalence of overweight and obesity in Irish school children, using four different definitions

Prevalence of overweight and obesity in Irish school children, using four different definitions

Does the BMI reflect body fat in obese children and adolescents? A study using the TOBEC method

Relation of BMI to fat and fat-free mass among children and adolescents

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