Assessment of anthropometric measurements in diagnosis and monitoring of excessive body weight in children

Background
Obesity developing in the early years is one of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. This contributes to the need for the earliest possible diagnosis of overweight in children. There is a noticeable underdiagnosis of obesity, most often in children between 5 and 12 years of age, as well as in adolescents.

Objectives
The aim of the study was to estimate the correlation between anthropometric measurements that are most commonly used in the diagnosis of obesity.

Material and methods
The study involved 150 children, during their rehabilitation and wellness stay at CRR KRUS in Szklarska Poreba in 2017. The entire group performed basic anthropometric measurements – height, body weight, waist circumference and thickness of the deltoid skin fold. Body composition analysis was performed using the Tanita analyzer

Results
A statistically significant correlation between the studied parameters was assumed (p < 0.001). The parameter showing the highest level of correlation with other measured parameters was the BMI percentile, BMI value and Cole index. Among the parameters not based on growth and weight in the boys’ group, the most important was the percentile of the waist circumference (r = 0.76), while in the girls’ group, the content of adipose tissue (r = 0,74)

Conclusions
The BMI and centile BMI results were the parameters of the highest value in the diagnosis and monitoring of excessive body weight in children. In addition, neither weight nor growth measurements should be used to determine the amount and location of adipose tissue