Anthropometric predictors of visceral adiposity in normal-weight and obese adolescents

• DOI: 10.1111/pedi.12042
• Publication Date: 2013-05-28T05:05:25Z
• Authors: Dorit Koren; Carole L Marcus; Christopher Kim; Paul R Gallagher; Richard Schwab; Ruth M Bradford; Babette S Zemel
• Keywords: Intra-Abdominal Fat; Waist-to-height ratio

Background Obesity and fat distribution patterns [subcutaneous vs. visceral adipose tissue (VAT)] are important predictors of future cardiometabolic risk. As accurate VAT measurement entails imaging, surrogate anthropometric measurements that would be cheaper quicker to obtain highly desirable. Sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD) may better than other measures in adults, but the value SAD predict magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-determined adolescents different races, sexes, pubertal stages has not been determined. Aim To test hypothesis correlates more strongly with volumetric measurements, independent age, sex, race, Tanner stage. Subjects methods Twenty-eight normal-weight 44 obese underwent staging, examinations, MRI for partitioned calculation. Results increased exponentially body mass index (BMI) > 97th percentile range. SAD, waist circumference (WC), BMI, BMI Z-score correlated (correlation coefficients 0.85–0.86, all p-values < 0.0005); waist–hip ratio was less predictive (r = 0.68, p 0.0005). On hierarchical regression, strongest subjects were (R2 0.34 0.31, respectively, subjects, most predicted equally 0.16–0.18, 0.018–0.026). Conclusions Unlike adolescents, is predictor adiposity. equivalently and, together provides sufficient information assess adiposity; specialized (e.g., WC) do add additional value.