Body fat throughout childhood in 2647 healthy Danish children: agreement of BMI, waist circumference, skinfolds with dual X-ray absorptiometry.
OBJECTIVE
Total body fat percentage (%BF) evaluated by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans (DXA %BF) is widely recognized as a precise measure of fatness. We aimed to establish national reference curves for DXA %BF, %BF calculated from skinfolds (SF %BF) and waist circumference (WC) in healthy children, and to compare agreement between the different methods.


METHODS
Based on 11 481 physical examinations (anthropometry) and 1200 DXA scans from a longitudinal cohort of Danish children (n=2647), we established reference curves (LMS-method) for SF %BF, WC (birth to 14 years) and DXA %BF (8-14 years). Age- and sex-specific Z-scores for body mass index (BMI), WC and SF %BF were compared. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated for agreement of WC, SF %BF and BMI with DXA %BF to identify obese children (>+1 s.d.).


RESULTS
%BF differed with age, sex, pubertal stage and social class. SF %BF correlated strongly with DXA %BF (r=0.86). BMI and WC also correlated positively with DXA %BF (Z-scores; r= 0.78 and 0.69). Sensitivity and specificity were 79.5 and 93.8 for SF %BF, 75.9 and 90.3 for BMI and 59.2 and 95.4 for WC.


CONCLUSIONS
SF %BF showed the highest correlation and best agreement with DXA %BF in identifying children with excess fat (+1 s.d.).
Department of Growth and Reproduction, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Denmark.
C
C
Wohlfahrt-Veje
Department of Growth and Reproduction, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Denmark.
J
J
Tinggaard
Department of Growth and Reproduction, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Denmark.
K
K
Winther
Department of Growth and Reproduction, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Denmark.
A
A
Mouritsen
Department of Growth and Reproduction, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Denmark.
C P
CP
Hagen
Department of Growth and Reproduction, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Denmark.
M G
MG
Mieritz
Department of Growth and Reproduction, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Denmark.
K T
KT
de Renzy-Martin
Department of Growth and Reproduction, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Denmark.
M
M
Boas
1] Department of Growth and Reproduction, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Denmark [2] Department of Public Health, Section of Biostatistics, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
J H
JH
Petersen
Department of Growth and Reproduction, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Denmark.
K M
KM
Main
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon / Q000379:methods*; D000273:Adipose Tissue; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods*; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003718:Denmark; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011627:Puberty; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012737:Sex Factors; D012885:Skinfold Thickness; D012923:Social Class; D055105:Waist Circumference