Percent body fat cutoff values for classifying overweight and obesity recommended by the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) in Korean children.
OBJECTIVE
To predict the percent body fat (%BF) cutoff values corresponding to overweight and obesity recommended by the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) in Korean children and to compare those values with the published cutoff values in Caucasian children.


METHODS
The sample consisted of 1083 Korean children and adolescents (555 boys and 528 girls) aged 7-18 years from 3 schools. Body mass index (BMI) and %BF using a bioelectrical impedance analyzer were measured. The classification of overweight and obesity was based on the age- and sex-specific BMI cutoff values of the IOTF guidelines.


RESULTS
The predicted %BF cutoff values for overweight and obesity varied by age and sex: overweight, 17-22% in boys and 24-37% in girls; obesity, 24-30% in boys and 30-53% in girls. Those %BF cutoff values in older Korean boys tended to be lower than the published %BF cutoff values in Caucasian boys. While %BF cutoff values for overweight in Korean girls were similar to the values in Caucasian girls, %BF cutoff values for obesity in Korean girls aged 13-18 years were higher compared to cutoff values in Caucasian girls.


CONCLUSIONS
The %BF values associated with the IOTF-recommended BMI cutoff values for overweight and obesity may require age- and sex-specific cutoff values in Korean children aged 7-18 years.
Department of Family Medicine, Pusan Paik Hospital, College of Medicine, Inje University, 633-165 Kaegum-dong, Pusan Jin-Gu, Pusan 614-735, Republic of Korea. fmlky@inje.ac.kr
Kayoung
K
Lee
Sangyeoup
S
Lee
Su Yung
SY
Kim
Su Jin
SJ
Kim
Yun Jin
YJ
Kim
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D017097:Electric Impedance; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D050177:Overweight / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012737:Sex Factors