Sensitivity and specificity of criteria for classifying body mass index in adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence of overweight among adolescents using different body mass index (BMI) classification criteria, and to determine sensitivity and specificity values for these criteria.


METHODS
Weight, height, and tricipital and subscapular skinfolds in 934 adolescents (462 males and 472 females) aged 14-18 years (mean age 16.2; SD=1.0) of the city of Florianópolis, Southern Brazil, in 2001. Percent fat estimated based on skinfold measurements (> or =25% in males and > or =30% in females) was used as a gold-standard for determining specificity and sensitivity of BMI classification criteria among adolescents.


RESULTS
The different cutoff points used for classifying BMI in general resulted in similar prevalence of overweight (p>0.05). Sensitivity of the evaluated criteria was high for males (85.4% to 91.7%) and low for females (33.8 to 52.8%). Specificity of all criteria was high for both sexes (83.6% to 98.8%).


CONCLUSIONS
Estimates of prevalence of obesity among adolescents using different BMI classification criteria were similar and highly specific for both sexes, but sensitivity for females was low.
Farias Júnior
José Cazuza de
JC
Departamento de Educação Física, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, PB, Brasil. jcazuzajr@hotmail.com
Konrad
Lisandra Maria
LM
Rabacow
Fabiana Maluf
FM
Grup
Susane
S
Araújo
Valbério Candido
VC
D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D050177:Overweight / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012885:Skinfold Thickness; D014481:United States