BMI for age references for Japanese children--based on the 2000 growth survey.

This study is done to develop an age and sex-specific BMI standard for Japanese children, and to determine the age and sex specific cut off points for overweight and obesity. A population-based analysis of BMI data from a national survey conducted in the year 2000; 14,113 preschool children, 72,380 children attending kindergartens, 270,720 attending elementary schools, 225,600 attending lower secondary schools and 126,900 attending upper secondary schools. BMI centile curves and cut-off points for overweight and obesity were determined following Cole's method. Compared with the BMI reference in the CDC 2000 standards, the reference for boys was almost the same, while for girls the width of percentile curves was larger in the CDC reference. The cut-off points for overweight or obesity were different from that of Cole's (2000) because of the difference in ethnicity. The results can be used for the assessment of overweight or obesity in Japanese children.