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  • Title: Height and adiposity among children.
    Author: Freedman DS, Thornton JC, Mei Z, Wang J, Dietz WH, Pierson RN, Horlick M.
    Journal: Obes Res; 2004 May; 12(5):846-53. PubMed ID: 15166306.
    Abstract:
    OBJECTIVE: Although BMI (kilograms per meter squared) is widely used as a surrogate measure of adiposity, it is moderately associated (r approximately 0.3) with height among children. We examined whether the resulting preferential classification of taller children as overweight, based on a BMI > or = 95th percentile, is appropriate. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: We assessed the cross-sectional relation of height among 5- to 18-year-old subjects (n = 1180) to levels of BMI, the sum of 10 skinfold thicknesses, and percentage body fat as determined by DXA. RESULTS: The prevalence of a BMI level > or = 95th percentile was substantially higher among 5- to 11-year-old subjects who were relatively tall for their age than among shorter children. Among 5- to 8-year-old boys, for example, each SD increase in height-for-age was associated with a 4.6-fold increase in the prevalence of overweight (p < 0.001). Height not only was associated with BMI but also showed similar correlations with the skinfold sum and with percentage body fat; furthermore, the magnitudes of these associations decreased with age. We also found that the association between percentage body fat and BMI (r = 0.85 to 0.90) was close to the maximum correlation that can be achieved by any weight-height index. DISCUSSION: The use of BMI, which preferentially classifies taller young children as overweight, is appropriate because height and adiposity are correlated before the age of 12 years.
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