title: Association of body fat percentage with lipid concentrations in children and adolescents: United States, 1999-2004.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  BMI is one factor that is used to determine a child's eligibility for lipid screening and treatment. BMI, which is an indirect measure of body fat, may inadequately represent the biological effect of body fat percentage on lipid concentrations.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We examined the relation between directly measured body fat percentage and lipid concentrations in a representative sample of US youths.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from 7821 participants aged 8-19 y from the 1999-2004 NHANES were analyzed. Body fat percentage was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Total and HDL-cholesterol concentrations were measured in serum. Serum triglyceride and LDL-cholesterol concentrations were measured in a subsample of 2661 fasting NHANES participants aged 12-19 y. Prevalences of adverse total cholesterol (>200 mg/dL), LDL cholesterol (>130 mg/dL), triglycerides (>150 mg/dL), and HDL cholesterol (<35 mg/dL) were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Approximately 10.0% [±0.7% (SE)] of participants had high total cholesterol, 7.0 ± 0.4% of participants had low HDL cholesterol, 9.7 ± 1.0% of participants had high triglycerides, and 7.6 ± 0.7% of participants had high LDL cholesterol. Prevalence of adverse total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol in US youths with high adiposity (greater than or equal to the age- and sex-specific 75th percentile of body fat percentage) was significantly greater (P < 0.01) than for participants without high adiposity. In multiple linear regressions adjusted for age, survey period, and race-ethnicity, the variance in lipid concentrations explained by body fat percentage was 2-20% (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adverse lipid concentrations and high adiposity are significantly associated in youths.
authors.affiliation: Division of Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hyattsville, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Molly M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Lamb
authors.forename: Cynthia L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Ogden
authors.forename: Margaret D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Carroll
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Lacher
authors.forename: Katherine M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Flegal
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D016014:Linear Models; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D015995:Prevalence; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids