title: Pubertal stage and measures of adiposity in British schoolchildren.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Puberty is a critical period in the development of obesity. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and skin-fold thickness are used generally as estimates of body fat in children and adults.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To identify a marker of adiposity that is independent of pubertal status and determine its relationship to physical fitness in adolescence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Girls (n = 147) and boys (n = 100) from year 8 in three Welsh schools self-reported Tanner stages. Anthropometric measurements of adiposity were made and aerobic fitness estimated with a 20-metre shuttle-run test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children in early and late puberty were of similar chronological age. BMI strongly correlated with height in early puberty in girls (r = 0.366, p < 0.001) and boys (r = 0.594, p < 0.001), but not in late puberty. Waist-to-height ratio adjusted for the effect of height on waist measurements; and correlated with percentage fat mass in early and late puberty in girls (r = 0.865 and r = 0.772, both p < 0.001) and boys (r = 0.868 and r = 0.877, both p < 0.001). Physical fitness score was inversely related to waist-to-height ratio, with similar regression lines in early and late puberty, in girls (r = - 0.545, p < 0.001 and r = - 0.362, p = 0.005) and boys (r = - 0.490, p < 0.001 and r = - 0.400, p = 0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pubertal status should be taken into account in adjusting weight for height in adolescents. Waist-to-height ratio is a convenient and appropriate measure of adiposity during puberty.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Clinical Exercise & Health Science, University of the West of Scotland, Paisley ML3 0JB, UK. moira.lewitt@uws.ac.uk
authors.forename: Moira S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Lewitt
authors.forename: Julien S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: Gail P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Mooney
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Non E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity / Q000502:physiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D050218:Body Fat Distribution; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology; D011627:Puberty / Q000502:physiology*; D055105:Waist Circumference / Q000502:physiology