title: Waist-to-height ratio and body mass index as indicators of cardiovascular risk in youth.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this investigation was to determine if waist-to-height ratio (WHTR) or body mass index (BMI) is the better indicator of cardiovascular disease risk in children and adolescents of varying ages.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from children and adolescents (N = 2300) who were part of the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were analyzed. Chi-square analyses (2 × 2) were used to compare risk levels of WHTR (>0.50) and BMI (>85th percentile) to systolic blood pressure (SBP) (>90th percentile) as well as total cholesterol (TC) (>200 mg(.) dL(-1) ) for the entire cohort and specified age groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant relationships were detected between SBP and WHTR and BMI, respectively, for the entire cohort as well as the 2 oldest subsamples. A significant association was also noted for both WHTR and BMI to TC for the entire sample and the eldest age group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A significant association was observed between indicators of cardiovascular health risk and both WHTR and BMI in the entire NHANES cohort of boys and girls as well as in the older age groups. The younger groups of participants did not display a notable link between these cardiovascular indicators and WHTR or BMI.
authors.affiliation: Chairperson and Associate Professor, (dkeefer@millersville.edu), Department of Wellness and Sport Sciences, Millersville University, 113 Pucillo Gymnasium, Millersville, PA 17551.
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Keefer
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Caputo
authors.forename: Wayland
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tseh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States; D055105:Waist Circumference
chemical_list: D002784:Cholesterol
keywords: child and adolescent health; health educators; health policy