Which measure best finds kids at risk for health problems?
A Comparison between BMI, Waist Circumference, and Waist-To-Height Ratio for Identifying Cardio-Metabolic Risk in Children and Adolescents
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Researchers checked if BMI, waist size, or waist-to-height ratio are best for spotting kids with heart and blood sugar risks. They looked at many kids aged 8-17.
No biological mechanisms were identified in this study. This may be an epidemiological, observational, or survey-based study that reports associations rather than proposing causal biological pathways.
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
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Evidence Score
A snapshot of a population at a single point in time. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine the direction of cause and effect.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Researchers checked if BMI, waist size, or waist-to-height ratio are best for spotting kids with heart and blood sugar risks. They looked at many kids aged 8-17.
No biological mechanisms were identified in this study. This may be an epidemiological, observational, or survey-based study that reports associations rather than proposing causal biological pathways.
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
Max 100Randomized Controlled Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional Studies
Max 44Case Reports & Case Series
Max 30Expert Opinion & Narrative Reviews
Max 542 / 44
Evidence Score
A snapshot of a population at a single point in time. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine the direction of cause and effect.
Publication
Authors
Sardinha LB, Santos DA, Silva AM, Grøntved A, Andersen LB, Ekelund U
Related Content
Claims (6)
Increased waist circumference is associated with a higher risk of metabolic disease and mortality, independent of total body weight.
Overweight kids 8-17 are 2.6-3.5 times more likely to have heart/metabolic risks, and obese kids are about 14 times more likely, compared to normal-weight peers.
For kids and teens aged 8 to 17, measuring body mass index, waist size, or waist-to-height ratio all show similar ability to spot those at risk for heart and metabolic problems, with accuracy scores between 0.70 and 0.74.
For kids 8-17, these body measurements are better at correctly identifying those who don't have heart/metabolic risks (high specificity) than those who do (low sensitivity), leading to many missed cases.
In kids 8-17, these body measurements are much better at predicting heart/metabolic risks in overweight or obese children than in those with normal weight, with stronger links in the higher weight groups.