Susana Santos1, Milton Severo1,2, Carla Lopes1,2, Andreia Oliveira1,2. 1. EPIUnit, Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Rua das Taipas, Porto, Portugal. 2. Department of Public Health and Forensic Sciences and Medical Education, Unit of Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of body fat patterns and single measures in assessing body fat and to clarify the use of indices based on waist circumference as measures of adiposity in children. METHODS: This study included 2,531 7-year-old children from the Generation XXI birth cohort (Porto, Portugal). Anthropometrics were obtained by trained personnel and whole-body dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans were performed. RESULTS: Principal component analysis identified two body fat patterns. Pattern 1 (BMI, fat mass index from tetra-polar bioelectric impedance, and waist-to-height ratio) showed strong correlations with DXA fat mass index (r = 0.85; P < 0.001), and pattern 2 (waist-to-hip, waist-to-thigh, and waist-to-weight ratios) showed moderate correlations with DXA central fat (r = 0.35; P < 0.001). Compared with single measures, body fat patterns showed similar correlations with DXA-derived measures. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with single anthropometric indices, body fat patterns seem to add little value for estimating body fat in children. Waist-to-height ratio seems to be a proxy for total fat, while waist-to-hip, waist-to-thigh, and waist-to-weight ratios seem to be proxies for central fat. Further studies should address the predictive ability of waist-to-weight ratio to identify children at risk of developing cardiometabolic disease, as this was the first time describing its potential usefulness.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of body fat patterns and single measures in assessing body fat and to clarify the use of indices based on waist circumference as measures of adiposity in children. METHODS: This study included 2,531 7-year-old children from the Generation XXI birth cohort (Porto, Portugal). Anthropometrics were obtained by trained personnel and whole-body dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans were performed. RESULTS: Principal component analysis identified two body fat patterns. Pattern 1 (BMI, fat mass index from tetra-polar bioelectric impedance, and waist-to-height ratio) showed strong correlations with DXA fat mass index (r = 0.85; P < 0.001), and pattern 2 (waist-to-hip, waist-to-thigh, and waist-to-weight ratios) showed moderate correlations with DXA central fat (r = 0.35; P < 0.001). Compared with single measures, body fat patterns showed similar correlations with DXA-derived measures. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with single anthropometric indices, body fat patterns seem to add little value for estimating body fat in children. Waist-to-height ratio seems to be a proxy for total fat, while waist-to-hip, waist-to-thigh, and waist-to-weight ratios seem to be proxies for central fat. Further studies should address the predictive ability of waist-to-weight ratio to identify children at risk of developing cardiometabolic disease, as this was the first time describing its potential usefulness.
Authors: Anna Viitasalo; Theresia M Schnurr; Niina Pitkänen; Mette Hollensted; Tenna R H Nielsen; Katja Pahkala; Mustafa Atalay; Mads V Lind; Sami Heikkinen; Christine Frithioff-Bøjsøe; Cilius E Fonvig; Niels Grarup; Mika Kähönen; Germán D Carrasquilla; Anni Larnkjaer; Oluf Pedersen; Kim F Michaelsen; Timo A Lakka; Jens-Christian Holm; Terho Lehtimäki; Olli Raitakari; Torben Hansen; Tuomas O Kilpeläinen Journal: Am J Clin Nutr Date: 2019-11-01 Impact factor: 7.045