Body fat percentage and body mass index in a probability sample of an adult urban population in Brazil.
The purpose of the present study was to measure body composition in a probability sample of adults (≥ 20 years) living in Niterói, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and to assess the adequacy of the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended body mass index (BMI) cut-offs values for identifying obesity in this population. Anthropometric measures and percentage body fat (%BF) assessments were taken with 550 fasted individuals (352 women). Obesity was classified according to the WHO recommended BMI cut-off values. %BF predictive equations were developed based on the inverse of BMI. BMI and %BF mean values (standard error) were: 25.3 kg/m(2) (0.3) and 38% (0.4) for women and 25.1 kg/m(2) (0.3) and 22.1% (0.6) for men. The predicted %BF values (regression of %BF on the inverse of BMI) for each BMI cut-offs of 18.5, 25 and 30 kg/m(2) were: 26.3%, 38.6% and 44.5% for women and 5.6%, 23.2% and 31.5% for men, respectively. The BMI values for the %BF-estimated obesity cut-off values were 20.5 for men and 25.7 kg/m(2) for women. Based on the BMI-%BF relationship, the BMI cut-off values recommended by the WHO are not adequate in identifying obesity in adults from this population.
Faculdade de Nutrição, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brasil. anjos@ensp.fiocruz.br
Luiz Antonio dos
LA
Anjos
Fabiana da Costa
Fda C
Teixeira
Vivian
V
Wahrlich
Mauricio Teixeira Leite de
MT
Vasconcellos
Scott B
SB
Going
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D014505:Urban Population; D055105:Waist Circumference; D055815:Young Adult