Title of article:
International definitions of overweight and obesity for children: a lasting solution?
Authors: Chinn S, Rona RJ.
Journal: Ann Hum Biol 2002 May-Jun;29(3):306-13
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Definitions of overweight and obesity for children were published in 2000, derived by averaging the centiles of six countries equivalent to body mass index (BMI) at age 18 years of 25 and 30. For use in the UK it is unclear whether these present an advantage over equivalent definitions based on UK data. AIM: To compare the recently published international cut-off points for overweight and obesity in children with alternative cut-off points based on the UK 1990 reference data. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Around 6000 white children aged 4-11 years from primary schools in 22 areas in England were measured in two cross-sectional surveys, in 1984 and 1994. Measurements included height and weight, from which BMI was calculated. Each child was classified as overweight or obese according to each cut-off point. RESULTS: The proposed international cut-off points exaggerate the difference in prevalence of overweight and obesity between English boys and girls in comparison to comparable measures based on UK data by up to 7%, and are not compatible with the UK reference charts for BMI. Using proposed UK cut-off points the prevalence of overweight in boys was 10.2% in 1984, rising to 13.8% in 1994, compared to 5.4 to 9.0% using the international definition. CONCLUSION: The limitations of the international definitions, due to averaging data from different countries and the choice of reference age, need to be known. The UK cut-off points here presented are compatible with the current UK reference curves.
Comments and Key points
Frankly, this is a difficult study to read and understand. It's results indicate that, for young adults in the United Kingdom (UK), at Age 18 - women are more overweight than men, but this reverses by Age 23 - when men are more overweight than women. But the numbers of of overweight men and women was equal at age 19.5. Thus, therefore, hence, they created their own table showing their idea of optimum Body Mass Index cut-off thresholds for "overweight' and "obesity", and notice that the table stops at age 19.5. Sweet.
| Age (years) |
"Overweight"
is a BMI greater than: |
"Obese" is
a BMI greater than: |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boys | Girls | Boys | Girls | ||
| 2 | 17.8 | 18.1 | 19.6 | 19.9 | |
| 2.5 | 17.4 | 17.7 | 19.2 | 19.6 | |
| 3 | 17.1 | 17.5 | 18.9 | 19.5 | |
| 3.5 | 17.0 | 17.4 | 18.8 | 19.4 | |
| 4 | 16.9 | 17.3 | 18.7 | 19.4 | |
| 4.5 | 16.9 | 17.3 | 18.8 | 19.5 | |
| 5 | 16.9 | 17.3 | 18.9 | 19.6 | |
| 5.5 | 17.0 | 17.3 | 19.1 | 19.8 | |
| 6 | 17.0 | 17.5 | 19.3 | 20.1 | |
| 6.5 | 17.2 | 17.7 | 19.6 | 20.5 | |
| 7 | 17.3 | 17.9 | 20.0 | 21.0 | |
| 7.5 | 17.5 | 18.2 | 20.4 | 21.5 | |
| 8 | 17.7 | 18.4 | 20.8 | 22.0 | |
| 8.5 | 17.9 | 18.8 | 21.3 | 22.5 | |
| 9 | 18.2 | 19.1 | 21.8 | 23.0 | |
| 9.5 | 18.5 | 19.4 | 22.3 | 23.5 | |
| 10 | 18.8 | 19.8 | 22.8 | 24.0 | |
| 10.5 | 19.1 | 20.1 | 23.2 | 24.5 | |
| 11 | 19.4 | 20.5 | 23.7 | 25.0 | |
| 11.5 | 19.7 | 20.9 | 24.2 | 25.5 | |
| 12 | 20.1 | 21.3 | 24.6 | 26.0 | |
| 12.5 | 20.4 | 21.7 | 25.1 | 26.4 | |
| 13 | 20.8 | 22.1 | 25.5 | 26.9 | |
| 13.5 | 21.1 | 22.4 | 25.9 | 27.3 | |
| 14 | 21.5 | 22.8 | 26.4 | 27.7 | |
| 14.5 | 21.9 | 23.1 | 26.8 | 28.0 | |
| 15 | 22.3 | 23.4 | 27.2 | 28.3 | |
| 15.5 | 22.6 | 23.6 | 27.6 | 28.6 | |
| 16 | 23.0 | 23.9 | 27.9 | 28.8 | |
| 16.5 | 23.3 | 24.1 | 28.3 | 29.1 | |
| 17 | 23.6 | 24.3 | 28.6 | 29.3 | |
| 17.5 | 23.9 | 24.5 | 28.9 | 29.4 | |
| 18 | 24.2 | 24.6 | 29.2 | 29.6 | |
| 18.5 | 24.5 | 24.8 | 29.5 | 29.7 | |
| 19 | 24.8 | 24.9 | 29.7 | 29.9 | |
| 19.5 | 25 | 25 | 30 | 30 | |
The authors of this article think that the International Classification of overweight and obesity isn't super-great, and they suggest that the UK should use a definition based on UK data.
Well, here's how their charts compare to the standard CDC definition of overweight and obesity. They are rather close, don't you think?
So, this article that suggests that the adult overweight definition BMI of 25.0 kg/m2 is suitable for young adults at age 19.5
Review & comments by Steven B. Halls, MD, Edited last on
23-June, 2008, Copyright.
See the other Body Mass Index readings.
