The assessment of obesity: methods for measuring body fat and global prevalence of obesity

Yap, Mabel

doi:10.1053/beem.1999.0003

Cited by 112 publications

(94 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…5 The prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing among older age groups in developed countries, 3,4,11,12 in both sexes, all ages, all races, all educational levels, both smokers and nonsmokers; 3,13 an increase in BMI has been observed even among people with the highest levels of BMI. 14 In women aged 60-69 y, the highest prevalence in the period 1999-2000 was 42.5%, with an increase of 12.7% compared to the period 1988-1994 (NHANES III), 31.9% in those aged 70-79 y and 19.5% in those aged 80 y or older.…”

Section: Prevalence Of Obesity In the Elderlymentioning

confidence: 99%

Health consequences of obesity in the elderly: a review of four unresolved questions

et al. 2005

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Obesity prevalence is growing progressively even among older age groups. Controversy exists about the potential harms of obesity in the elderly. Debate persists about the relation between obesity in old age and total or disease-specific mortality, the definition of obesity in the elderly, its clinical relevance, and about the need for its treatment. Knowledge of age-related body composition and fat distribution changes will help us to better understand the relationships between obesity, morbidity and mortality in the elderly. Review of the literature supports that central fat and relative loss of fat-free mass may become relatively more important than BMI in determining the health risk associated with obesity in older ages. Weight gain or fat redistribution in older age may still confer adverse health risks (for earlier mortality, comorbidities conferring independent adverse health risks, or for functional decline). Evaluation of comorbidity and weight history should be performed in the elderly in order to generate a comprehensive assessment of the potential adverse health effects of overweight or obesity. The risks of obesity in the elderly have been underestimated by a number of confounders such as survival effect, competing mortalities, relatively shortened life expectancy in older persons, smoking, weight change and unintentional weight loss. Identification of elderly subjects with sarcopenic obesity is probably clinically relevant, but the definition of sarcopenic obesity, the benefits of its clinical identification, as well as its relation to clinical consequences require further study. Studies on the effect of voluntary weight loss in the elderly are scarce, but they suggest that even small amounts of weight loss (between 5-10% of initial body weight) may be beneficial. In older as well as in younger adults, voluntary weight loss may help to prevent the adverse health consequences of obesity.

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Section: Prevalence Of Obesity In the Elderlymentioning

confidence: 99%

Health consequences of obesity in the elderly: a review of four unresolved questions

et al. 2005

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“…Central obesity was defined as WHR40.80. WHO classification of BMI (WHO, 1998) and %BF more than 35% as the cutoff point of obesity (Deurenberg et al, 1998;Deurenberg and Yap, 1999) were used for interpretation of anthropometric findings.…”

Section: Variables and Measurementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison between bioelectrical impedance analysis and body mass index methods in determination of obesity prevalence in Ahvazi women

Amani

2006

Eur J Clin Nutr

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Background: Obesity has an increasing trend worldwide. Recently, application of body mass index (BMI) cutoff points of obesity classification for all population studies has been questioned. On the other hand, bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is a safe, accurate, reliable and inexpensive method for screening the overweight and obesity in such studies. Objectives: There were three objectives followed in this research: to determine the prevalence of obesity and overweight in married women using BMI and BIA methods; to evaluate the correlation between these methods; and to compare the women's obesity degrees according to their educational levels. Method: Six hundred and thirty-seven healthy married women 18-40 years aged, who had referred to 14 health centers of the city of Ahvaz (center of Khouzestan province, south-west of Iran) were recruited in a cross-sectional design, and their socioeconomic and anthropometric questionnaires were completed by the trained students. Body fat percent (%BF) and body fat mass (BFM) were measured using BIA method. BMI425 and 430 kg/m 2 were used as criteria for determining the overweight and obese women, respectively. %BF435% was regarded as cutoff for defining obesity. Results: Mean age7s.d. of the women was 26.975.8 years and majority of them were housewives with secondary educational level. Their BMI, %BF, waist-to-hip ratio, and mid-upper arm circumference means were: 25.9(4.7) kg/m 2 , 27.6(7.3)%, 0.75(0.08) and 27.9(3.9) cm, respectively. Central obesity was prevalent in 21.2% of the subjects. Prevalence of obesity determined by BMI and BIA methods was 18.3 and 15.5% and women within normal ranges were detected in 44.7 and 46% of the subjects by these methods, respectively. However, thin (underweight) women were 2.6 and 14.6% of the subjects studied, respectively. About one half of the women were overweight or obese. BMI was statistically correlated with BFM (r ¼ 0.86; Po0.0001) and %BF (r ¼ 0.77; Po0.0001). Women with higher educational levels had lower body fat percentage and BMI than the other subjects with lower degrees (Po0.05). Conclusion: Obesity and overweight is prevalent in about one-half of the Ahvazian married women and more than one-fifth of the subjects have central obesity. BIA and BMI methods can similarly detect the normal and obese married women but they are different in determining the underweight female subjects. Women with higher educational grades tend to have lower BMI levels.

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“…Our study, although with a smaller sample size, confirmed the highest proportion of obesity in women and a complete absence of overweight and obesity in YM, which appeared to be clearly related to their regular physical activity. The appropriateness of some direct (hydrodensitometry) and indirect (skinfolds, BIA) body composition methods has been questioned for some non-western populations (Deurenberg and Yap, 1999;Wagner and Heyward, 2000). A recent review by Wagner and Heyward (2000) suggested that, because of the higher bone mineral content (BMC) of blacks, the most accurate technique for body composition measurement is the dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), since it measures and divides lean body mass (LBM) from BMC, while the hydrodensitometric method, which lacks this property, could produce an overestimation of FFM.…”

Section: Urbanization and Obesity In The Gambiamentioning

confidence: 99%

Urbanization and obesity in The Gambia: a country in the early stages of the demographic transition

et al. 2005

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Objective: To investigate the distribution of overweight and obesity and its relationship with socio-economic and behavioural factors in a developing-country population undergoing rapid nutritional transition. Design: Cross-sectional house-to-house survey in urban Gambia. Subjects: Four groups of 50 subjects were sampled as follows: young men (YM, 14-25 years), young women (YW, 14-25 years), older men (OM, 35-50 years) and older women (OW,(35)(36)(37)(38)(39)(40)(41)(42)(43)(44)(45)(46)(47)(48)(49)(50). Measurements: Several socio-economic and behavioural factors were investigated. Composite indices for socio-economic status, education, healthy lifestyle and western influences were created. Body weight, height, waist and hip circumferences were measured and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Body composition was assessed by leg-to-leg bioimpedance. Overweight was defined as BMI ¼ 25.0-29.9 kg/m 2 and obesity as BMIX30.0 kg/m 2 . Results: There were highly significant gender and age differences in overweight (YM ¼ 0%, YW ¼ 10%, OM ¼ 6% and OW ¼ 34%) and obesity (YM ¼ 0%, YW ¼ 4%, OM ¼ 6% and OW ¼ 50%). Only 16% of OW were neither overweight nor obese compared to 88% of OM. OW had a higher fat mass percent (38.4%) than other groups, while fat-free mass (kg) was significantly higher in males than females with YW having the lowest value. Young generations were more educated and more influenced by western ideals than OM and OW. Weight gain was not always associated with weight concern and many overweight/obese subjects did not perceive themselves as overweight. Conclusion: Social and behavioural changes are already creating a perceptible 'generational gap' among this population undergoing rapid transition. The improved education and current lean status of the younger adults offers opportunities for preventative interventions. These need to be specially targeted at women.

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The assessment of obesity: methods for measuring body fat and global prevalence of obesity

Cited by 112 publications

References 6 publications

Health consequences of obesity in the elderly: a review of four unresolved questions

Health consequences of obesity in the elderly: a review of four unresolved questions

Comparison between bioelectrical impedance analysis and body mass index methods in determination of obesity prevalence in Ahvazi women

Urbanization and obesity in The Gambia: a country in the early stages of the demographic transition

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