BACKGROUND: Body mass index (BMI; in kg/m2) cutoffs for use with children and adolescents aged 2-18 y that correspond to the well-accepted BMI cutoffs for overweight (> or = 25 but < 30) and obesity (> or = 30) in adults were published recently. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to estimate the percentage body fat (%BF) values typically associated with these BMI cutoffs in children and adolescents. DESIGN: The %BF was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in 661 subjects (49% male) aged 3-18 y. Regression equations using BMI, age, and sex were developed to predict the %BF associated with BMI cutoffs for overweight (age-specific BMI equivalent to a BMI of 25 in an 18-y-old) and obesity (age-specific BMI equivalent to a BMI of 30 in an 18-y-old) over this age range. RESULTS: Measurements classified 17.1% of males and 19.8% of females as overweight and 5.5% of males and 7.5% of females as obese. The %BF associated with an obese BMI tended to be higher in peripubertal males (34-36%) than in younger (24-30%) or older (27-30%) males. Although the predicted %BF of young females was similar to that of young males, values rose steadily with age, such that an 18-y-old female with a BMI of 30 had an estimated %BF of 42%, whereas that in males of similar age was 27%. CONCLUSION: The %BF values associated with BMI classifications of overweight and obesity vary considerably with age in growing children, particularly in girls.
BACKGROUND: Body mass index (BMI; in kg/m2) cutoffs for use with children and adolescents aged 2-18 y that correspond to the well-accepted BMI cutoffs for overweight (> or = 25 but < 30) and obesity (> or = 30) in adults were published recently. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to estimate the percentage body fat (%BF) values typically associated with these BMI cutoffs in children and adolescents. DESIGN: The %BF was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in 661 subjects (49% male) aged 3-18 y. Regression equations using BMI, age, and sex were developed to predict the %BF associated with BMI cutoffs for overweight (age-specific BMI equivalent to a BMI of 25 in an 18-y-old) and obesity (age-specific BMI equivalent to a BMI of 30 in an 18-y-old) over this age range. RESULTS: Measurements classified 17.1% of males and 19.8% of females as overweight and 5.5% of males and 7.5% of females as obese. The %BF associated with an obese BMI tended to be higher in peripubertal males (34-36%) than in younger (24-30%) or older (27-30%) males. Although the predicted %BF of young females was similar to that of young males, values rose steadily with age, such that an 18-y-old female with a BMI of 30 had an estimated %BF of 42%, whereas that in males of similar age was 27%. CONCLUSION: The %BF values associated with BMI classifications of overweight and obesity vary considerably with age in growing children, particularly in girls.
Authors: E T M Leermakers; J F Felix; N S Erler; A Ćerimagić; A I Wijtzes; A Hofman; H Raat; H A Moll; F Rivadeneira; V W V Jaddoe; O H Franco; J C Kiefte-de Jong Journal: Eur J Clin Nutr Date: 2015-02-04 Impact factor: 4.016
Authors: Emma L Ross; Jennifer Jorgensen; Peter E DeWitt; Carol Okada; Renee Porter; Matthew Haemer; Pamela D Reiter Journal: J Pediatr Pharmacol Ther Date: 2014-04
Authors: S D Berry; C G Walker; K Ly; R G Snell; P E Atatoa Carr; D Bandara; J Mohal; T G Castro; E J Marks; S M B Morton; C C Grant Journal: Int J Obes (Lond) Date: 2017-09-20 Impact factor: 5.095
Authors: Ellen B Fung; Yan Xu; Janet L Kwiatkowski; Maria G Vogiatzi; Ellis Neufeld; Nancy Olivieri; Elliott P Vichinsky; Patricia J Giardina Journal: J Pediatr Date: 2010-06-12 Impact factor: 4.406
Authors: Elizabeth Denney-Wilson; Christopher T Cowell; Anthony D Okely; Louise L Hardy; Robert Aitken; Timothy Dobbins Journal: BMC Pediatr Date: 2010-08-11 Impact factor: 2.125
Authors: C G Owen; P H Whincup; L Orfei; Q-A Chou; A R Rudnicka; A K Wathern; S J Kaye; J G Eriksson; C Osmond; D G Cook Journal: Int J Obes (Lond) Date: 2009-06-09 Impact factor: 5.095