Age- and Sex-Related Percentiles of Skinfold Thickness, Waist and Hip Circumference, Waist-to-Hip Ratio and Waist-to-Height Ratio: Results from a Population-Based Pediatric Cohort in Germany (LIFE Child)

Abstract

Background: Skinfold thickness (ST), waist circumference (WC) and hip circumference (HC) measurements are simple methods for assessing fat tissue at defined body parts. We examined these parameters in a cohort of healthy children and adolescents in Leipzig. Our study provides current percentile curves for biceps, triceps, subscapular and iliac crest ST, plus WC, HC, waist-to-hip ratio and waist-to-height ratio. Methods: 6,344 visits were recorded involving 2,363 individuals from 3 to 16 years in age. Continuous age- and gender-related percentiles (3rd, 10th, median, 90th, 97th percentiles) were estimated using Cole’s LMS method. Results: For biceps and triceps ST, boys show a peak at the beginning of adolescence with a subsequent decrease, while percentile values among girls rise across the age range. Subscapular and iliac crest percentiles also show increasing curves with disproportionately high values for P90 and P97. Boys show higher values of WC, girls have higher levels of HC. WC and HC median percentiles constantly increase in both sexes with a plateau at the age of 16 for girls. Conclusion: Trends for all parameters of body fat are in line with other national and international studies. Unlike the KiGGS study, our study provides circumference data across the whole of our age range, i.e. from 3 to 16 years.

Subcutaneous fat mass is associated with genetic risk scores related to proinflammatory cytokine signaling and interact with physical activity in middle-aged obese adults

“…Body fat was estimated by the tetrapolar bioelectrical impedance method with an Inbody 3.0 (Biospace Co., Ltd., Seoul, Korea). Skin-fold thickness at subscapular and suprailiac sites was measured in triplicate with bare skin using a caliper with a dial graduation of 0.2 mm by skilled technicians [11]. Participants had an upright posture with relaxation.…”

“…The suprailiac skinfold was measured in the site in line with the natural angle of the iliac crest at the anterior axillary line. Skinfold measurement was successively conducted three times and the average of the three values was used [11]. Since skin-fold thickness at the suprailiac site was difficult to distinguish from visceral fat mass, that at the subscapular site was used to represent subcutaneous fat mass.…”

“…Subcutaneous fat mass was calculated by dividing the average of subscapular skin-fold thickness by BMI. The cutoff-point of subcutaneous fat mass was 1.2 cm [11, 12]. Waist circumferences were used for representing visceral fat mass since waist circumference is a reliable index for visceral adiposity [13, 14].…”

Psychologische Kennwerte und BMI-SDS bei Jugendlichen mit Adipositas und unterschiedlichen Motivationsstadien in der stationären Rehabilitation

“…Entsprechend sollten zukünftige Studien auch explizit Non-Intender berücksichtigen, um zu einer differenzierteren Abstufung des Motivationsstadiums zu gelangen. Schließlich sollte zukünftig auch der Taillen-und Hüftumfang gemessen werden, deren Quotient besser mit Gesundheitsparametern zusammenhängt als der BMI, wofür nun auch die deutschen Normen publiziert wurden [3].…”

“…Hierbei war in der Adipositas-Prävalenz im Alter von 11 bis 17 Jahren ein Peak um 8 bis 9.2 % zu beobachten. Auch in einer aktuellen europäischen Studie wurde der Anstieg im Verlauf des Kindes-und Jugendalters nochmals bestätigt [3]. In der Ätiologie von Adipositas spielen neben verhältnisbezogenen Faktoren (z.…”