The use of body mass index to predict body composition in children.
BACKGROUND
Simple anthropometric indices of body composition have particular appeal for use in children, and as such body mass index (BMI) has been used to predict percentage body fat in a number of studies.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the relationship between BMI and percentage body fat (%body fat) and a proposed, more appropriate relationship between BMI and fat mass/height(2) in a cohort of young children.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study of 109 children aged between 6 and 10 years residing in either Sydney or Brisbane, Australia. Weight and height were measured using standard methods. Body composition was measured using a stable isotope method to firstly determine total body water and subsequently fat free mass.


RESULTS
The correlation between BMI and fat mass/height(2) was markedly greater than that between BMI and percentage body fat. In the entire group of children the R(2) (x100%) value for the relationship between BMI and fat mass/height(2) was 73.3% compared with 46.5% for the relationship between BMI and percentage body fat.


CONCLUSIONS
We have shown that the use of BMI to predict fat mass/height(2), and consequently percentage body fat, is superior to the use of BMI to predict percentage body fat based directly upon the R(2) values of the above analysis.
Abbott
R A
RA
School of Human Movement Studies, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, Q4059, Australia.
Ball
E J
EJ
O'Connor
J
J
Steinbeck
K S
KS
Wishart
C
C
Gaskin
K J
KJ
Baur
L A
LA
Davies
P S W
PS
D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods*; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010103:Oxygen Isotopes / Q000032:analysis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012044:Regression Analysis
D010103:Oxygen Isotopes