title: [Body mass index and triceps skinfold correlation in children from Paulínia city, São Paulo, SP].
abstract: Body mass index (BMI) has been considered a criterion to define and analyse obesity in adults and children.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  the purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation between BMI and triceps skinfold (TSF).
  
  
  METHODS
  there were studied 4,236 children (3.1-10.9y); 48.3%M:51.6%F, from four studies made in Paul nia, SP-Brazil. Height, weight and TSF (Holtain caliper) were measured. For each children BMI was calculated and transformed in SDS, according to North American data (Frisancho, 1993). Multiple linear regression analysis (stepwise) was used for the whole population and in three groups according to BMI: A) SDS < or = -1.0; B) -1.0 < SDS< 1.0) SDS(3) 1.0. Data were processed with SPSS software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  in group A, the TSF (7.8 +/- 2.3) variability was lower when compared with the groups B (10.1 +/- 4.0) and C (17.8 +/- 6.2). In multiple linear regression with the whole population, R = 0.478 for TSF. In groups B and C, R = 0.364 and 0.368 respectively for TSF, and in group A it was only 0.032.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  these observations demonstrated a height correlation between BMI and TSF in children with obesity risk (group C). Therefore, we conclude that, in Brazil BMI can be used for children's research of obesity in population studies, instead of TSF.
authors.affiliation: Hospital das Clínicas da Unicamp - Departamento de Pediatria, Campinas, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. zambon@correionet.com.br
authors.forename: Mariana Porto
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Zambon
authors.forename: Maria de Lurdes
authors.initials: Mde L
authors.lastname: Zanolli
authors.forename: Denise Barbieri
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Marmo
authors.forename: Luís Alberto
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Magna
authors.forename: Luis Manuel
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Guimarey
authors.forename: André Moreno
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Morcillo
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012885:Skinfold Thickness