Waist circumference percentile curves as a screening tool to predict cardiovascular risk factors and metabolic syndrome risk in Brazilian children

Abstract

The goals of this study were to develop reference values for waist circumference (WC) in Brazilian children between 6-10 years old and to evaluate the WC performance in predicting cardiovascular risk factors and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in children. This is a population-based epidemiological cross-sectional study, in which 1,397 children participated, with a 6-10 years old probability sampling and from public and private schools in the city of Uberaba, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. WC was measured at the waist narrowest point (WC1) and at the umbilicus level (WC2). Blood samples and blood pressure were collected to determine the MetS diagnosis. There was a significant effect of age (p = 0.001), anatomical point (WC1 vs. WC2, p = 0.001) and sex-anatomical point interaction (p = 0.016) for WC. Smoothed sex- and age-specific 5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th and 95th percentile curves of WC1 and WC2 were designed by the LMS method. WC was accurate to predict MetS, for all ages [area under the ROC curve (AUC) > 0.79 and p < 0.05], regardless of sex. This study presented percentile curves for WC at two anatomical points in a representative sample of Brazilian children. Furthermore, WC was shown to be a strong predictor of cardiovascular risk factors and MetS in children.

Exploring Relationships Between Anthropometry, Body Composition, Maturation, and Selection for Competition: A Study in Youth Soccer Players

“…All subjects wore light clothing and were barefooted, following which their height and sitting height were measured to the nearest 0.1 cm with a portable stadiometer (Seca 206, Hamburg, Germany); sitting height was subtracted from height to estimate leg length (0.1 cm); and body mass was assessed to the nearest 0.1 kg with a Prozis Smart Scale-Sensit. In addition, waist circumference measurement was taken with the participant in a standing position, over the naked skin, to the nearest 0.1 cm using a Cescorf anthropometric tape measure; the tape was applied horizontally, just above the umbilicus, as this has been demonstrated to be a good marker of obesity risk (Andaki et al, 2018). The mean of two measurements was considered for all the variables.…”

Cardiovascular risk and cardiovascular risk factors in adolescents

“…This study adopted waist circumference for cardiovascular risk prediction. The results showed that waist circumference was an important predictor of metabolic syndrome in children, and it was also effective in predicting low HDL, high blood pressure, and hypertriglyceridemia (24) .…”

Reference Curves of Selected Circumferential Parameters for Czech Children Aged 6 to 11 Years

“…WC percentile references have been developed for children and adolescents living in different parts of world, such as Canada [25], the USA [26], Australia [27], the Netherlands [28], the United Kingdom [29], Germany [30], Turkey [31], Greece [32], Iran [33], Singapore [34], Brazil [4], and China [35]. Growth percentile charts of abdominal circumference and hip circumference have already been constructed in the Czech Republic.…”

“…Anthropometry is the most used and preferred clinical tool to follow the normal growth of a child [3]. Anthropometric measures might also be helpful in the prediction of non-communicable disease risk factors from childhood [4][5][6]. Anthropometric examination usually evaluates the body weight and, if the body composition is analyzed, the amount of body fat.…”