Abstract:

Objective To compare and analyse four references for assessment of obesity in Chinese children. Methods The height and weight of 2 347 children (1 175  boys and 1 172 girls) aged 7 to 8 years in Shanghai were measured, and their body mass indexes (BMI) were calculated. The prevalences of overweight and obesity were evaluated and compared among reference of Weight for Height 1985 (WFH 1985 reference), BMI reference of Working Group on Obesity in China (WGOC reference), BMI reference of Europe International Obesity Task Force (IOTF reference) and BMI reference of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of American 2000 (CDC reference). Results The prevalence of overweight in boys evaluated by IOTF reference was significantly higher than those by the other three references (P<0.05), and the prevalence of overweight in girls evaluated by IOTF reference was significantly higher than those by WGOC and CDC references (P<0.05). The prevalence of obesity in boys evaluated by IOTF reference was significantly lower than those by the other three references (P<0.01), and the prevalence of obesity in girls evaluated by IOTF reference was significantly lower than those by WGOC and WFH 1985 references (P<0.01). There was no significant difference in the evaluation findings of obesity and overweight between WFH 1985 and WGOC references (P>0.05). Conclusion WFH 1985 and WGOC references are more suitable than IOTF and CDC references for assessment of overweight and obesity in Chinese children.

Key words: obesity, body mass index, weight for height, screening criteria, children