Anthropometric indicators as predictors of total body fat and cardiometabolic risk factors in Chilean children at 4, 7 and 10 years of age.
To compare the association between anthropometric indicators of global and central obesity as predictors of total body fat (TBF) and cardiometabolic risk factors in children.



A total of 1044 children were evaluated at 4 years (n=320), 7 years (n=1044) and 10 years (n=483). The following anthropometric indices were determined: body mass index (BMI) for age (BAZ, WHO), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). To estimate TBF we used validated predictive equations. We measured blood sample concentrations of glucose, insulin, triglycerides, total cholesterol, Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and High-density lipoprotein (HDL), adiponectin, C-reactive protein (CRP) and Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1).



Adiposity and cardiometabolic markers, particularly those related to glucose metabolism increased from 4 years to 10 years. BAZ and WC were highly correlated to body fat at all ages (all r>0.8) but at 10 years WC was more strongly correlated than BAZ (r=0.94 WC vs r=0.88 BAZ, P<0.05); conversely, WHtR was significantly associated with body fat from 7 years (r=0.85) and 10 years (r=0.88). WHR was unrelated all over the period studied at all ages. Anthropometrical adiposity indicators became associated to cardiometabolic markers only from 7 years on with associations being slightly higher at 10 years, particularly for adiponectin and lipid markers. At all ages, BAZ, WC and WHtR performed similarly as cardiometabolic markers (P<0.05) while WHR was a slightly weaker marker.



Relationship between anthropometrical indicators of adiposity and cardiometabolic markers becomes stronger from 7 years onwards; BAZ, WC and WHtR perform similarly as markers of cardiometabolic risk at least until 10 years of age.
Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology (INTA), University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
F D
FD
Vásquez
Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology (INTA), University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
C L
CL
Corvalán
Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology (INTA), University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.|The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
R E
RE
Uauy
Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology (INTA), University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
J A
JA
Kain
D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood; D000273:Adipose Tissue; D050154:Adiposity; D000367:Age Factors; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002677:Chile; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D018970:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000209:etiology*; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D055105:Waist Circumference; D065927:Waist-Height Ratio; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio
C499918:ADIPOQ protein, human; D052242:Adiponectin; D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D018970:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1; D014280:Triglycerides; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002784:Cholesterol