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The following is a summary of “Cross-Sectional Relation of Body Mass Index to Adiposity among 8- to 19-Year-Olds within Several Races and Ethnicities,” published in the October 2024 issue of Pediatrics by Freedman et al.
Among youth, high body mass index (BMI) indicates adiposity, but the effectiveness across different racial and ethnic groups remains unclear.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to assess the screening ability of high body mass index for high adiposity among 8- to 19-year-olds.
They included 6,454 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Survey (2011 through 2018) and measured fat and lean mass using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Adiposity was expressed as fat mass index (FMI, kg ÷ m2) and percentage fat (%fat).
The results showed that high BMI correctly classified a high FMI for about 95% of participants across all racial and ethnic groups. Approximately 81% (Blacks) to 90% (Hispanics) of participants with a high BMI also had a high FMI. Additionally, children with a high BMI were 17 (Hispanics) to 46 (Blacks) times more likely to have a high FMI than those with a “normal” BMI. The screening ability of high BMI for high %fat was weaker, as %fat levels were influenced by fat and lean mass.
They concluded that, despite variations in body composition, high BMI was a reliable screening tool for identifying high FMI among youth of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds.
Source: jpeds.com/article/S0022-3476(24)00478-5/abstract
