Abstract
BackgroundWaist circumference (WC) is a good proxy measure of central adiposity. Due to the multiplicity of existing WC cut-offs and different measurement methods, the decision to use one rather than another WC chart may lead to different prevalence estimates of abdominal obesity in the same population. Aim of our study was to assess how much the prevalence of abdominal obesity varies in Italian schoolchildren using the different available WC cut-offs.MethodsWe measured WC at just above the uppermost lateral border of the right ilium in 1062 Italian schoolchildren aged 7–14 years, 499 living in Northern Italy and 563 in Southern Italy. Abdominal obesity was defined as WC ≥90th percentile for gender and age according to nine WC charts.ResultsWe found an extremely high variability in the prevalence of abdominal obesity detected in our study-populations according to the different WC charts, ranging in the overall group from 9.1% to 61.4%. In Northern Italy children it varied from 2.4% to 35.7%, and in Southern ones from 15.1% to 84.2%.ConclusionsOn the basis of the chosen WC cut-offs the prevalence of abdominal obesity varies widely, because percentile-charts are strongly influenced by the population status in a particular moment. A further rate of variability may lay on the site of WC measurement and on the statistical method used to calculate WC cut-offs. Risk-weighted WC cut-offs measured in a standardized anatomic site and calculated by the appropriate method are needed to simply identify by WC measurement those children at high risk of cardio-metabolic complications to whom specific and prompt health interventions should be addressed.
Highlights
The prevalence of paediatric overweight and obesity is increasing worldwide and this epidemic is cause of concern due to the association of obesity with morbidity even in childhood and to the high persistency of obesity in adulthood [1,2]
We found an extremely high variability in the prevalence of abdominal obesity detected in our study-populations according to the different Waist circumference (WC) charts, ranging in the overall group from 9.1% to 61.4%
On the basis of the chosen WC cut-offs the prevalence of abdominal obesity varies widely, because percentile-charts are strongly influenced by the population status in a particular moment
Summary
The prevalence of paediatric overweight and obesity is increasing worldwide and this epidemic is cause of concern due to the association of obesity with morbidity even in childhood and to the high persistency of obesity in adulthood [1,2]. Body mass index (BMI) has commonly been used to identify overweight and obesity in children and adolescents. It is an indicator of general adiposity and gives no indication about fat distribution [3]. Waist circumference (WC) has been reported to be a good proxy measure of both visceral and subcutaneous adiposity, easy to be performed in clinical practice and associated with clustered cardiovascular risks in childhood [5,8]. Due to the multiplicity of existing WC cut-offs and different measurement methods, the decision to use one rather than another WC chart may lead to different prevalence estimates of abdominal obesity in the same population. Aim of our study was to assess how much the prevalence of abdominal obesity varies in Italian schoolchildren using the different available WC cut-offs
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