Estimating total body fat using a skinfold prediction equation in Brazilian children.
BACKGROUND
The double burden of obesity and underweight is increasing in developing countries and simple methods for the assessment of fat mass in children are needed.


OBJECTIVE
To develop and validate a new anthropometric predication equation for assessment of fat mass in children.


METHODS
Body composition was assessed in 145 children aged 9.8 ± 1.3 (SD) years from São Paulo, Brazil using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and skinfold measurements. The study sample was divided into development and validation sub-sets to develop a new prediction equation for FM (PE).


RESULTS
Using multiple linear regression analyses, the best equation for predicting FM (R(2) = 0.77) included body weight, triceps skinfold, height, gender and age as independent variables. When cross-validated, the new PE was valid in this sample (R(2) = 0.80), while previously published equations were not.


CONCLUSIONS
The PE was more valid for Brazilian children that existing equations, but further studies are needed to assess the validity of this PE in other populations.
Department of Nutritional Sciences, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA. dhoffman@aesop.rutgers.edu
Daniel J
DJ
Hoffman
Tatiana
T
Toro-Ramos
Ana Lydia
AL
Sawaya
Susan B
SB
Roberts
Patricia
P
Rondo
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000273:Adipose Tissue; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods*; D001823:Body Composition; D001837:Body Weights and Measures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012885:Skinfold Thickness