title: Reference curves of the body fat index in adolescents and their association with anthropometric variables.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop reference curves for the body fat index (BFI) in the pediatric population, in adolescents from the city of São Paulo, Brazil, and verify their association with body mass index and body fat percentage.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study is part of the research project "Nutritional Profile of Adolescents from Public and Private Schools of São Paulo" that was performed in 2004-2005. A total of 4,686 adolescents (2,130 boys and 2,556 girls) aged 10-15 years were divided into two groups: 10-12 and 13-15 years of age. Body mass, height, body mass index, hip circumference, body fat percentage, body fat index, and sexual maturation performed by the self-assessment method (prepubertal, pubertal, and postpubertal) were analyzed. ANOVA was performed, as well as percentile distribution, Pearson's correlation, and Bland-Altman plot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In boys, there was an increase in body mass, height, body mass index, and hip circumference with advancing age and Tanner stage. In girls, there was an increase in body fat index and body fat percentage with advancing age and stage of sexual maturation. An association was found between body fat index and body mass index (r = 0.67 in boys and 0.80 in girls, p < 0.001) and body fat percentage (r = 0.71 in boys and 0.68 in girls, p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The body fat index seems to reflect well the phenomena of sexual dimorphism in adolescence, is easy to perform, and represents a method that should be used in population samples.
authors.affiliation: Division of Adolescent Medicine, Centro de Atendimento e Apoio ao Adolescente (CAAA), Department of Pediatrics, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Renata Rago
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Frignani
authors.affiliation: Division of Adolescent Medicine, Centro de Atendimento e Apoio ao Adolescente (CAAA), Department of Pediatrics, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Aparecida Zanetti
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Passos
authors.affiliation: Division of Adolescent Medicine, Centro de Atendimento e Apoio ao Adolescente (CAAA), Department of Pediatrics, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Centro de Estudos do Laboratório de Aptidão Física de São Caetano do Sul (CELAFISCS), São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: gersonferrari08@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Gerson Luis de Moraes
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.affiliation: Division of Adolescent Medicine, Centro de Atendimento e Apoio ao Adolescente (CAAA), Department of Pediatrics, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sheila Rejane
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Niskier
authors.affiliation: Division of Adolescent Medicine, Centro de Atendimento e Apoio ao Adolescente (CAAA), Department of Pediatrics, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fisberg
authors.affiliation: Division of Adolescent Medicine, Centro de Atendimento e Apoio ao Adolescente (CAAA), Department of Pediatrics, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Isa de Pádua
authors.initials: Ide P
authors.lastname: Cintra
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity / Q000502:physiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006615:Hip / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012737:Sex Factors; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000502:physiology*; D012885:Skinfold Thickness
keywords: Adiposidade; Adolescentes; Adolescents; Fat; Maturação sexual; Pregas cutâneas; Sexual maturation; Skin folds