Evaluation of two classifications for overweight among Brazilian adolescents

Authors

  • Márcia Regina Vitolo Fundação Faculdade Federal de Ciências Médicas de Porto Alegre; Departamento de Saúde Coletiva
  • Paula Dal Bó Campagnolo Fundação Faculdade Federal de Ciências Médicas de Porto Alegre; Departamento de Saúde Coletiva
  • Maria Elisa Barros Universidade Estadual do Rio de Janeiro; Departamento de Nutrição
  • Cíntia Mendes Gama Fundação Faculdade Federal de Ciências Médicas de Porto Alegre; Departamento de Saúde Coletiva
  • Fábio Ancona Lopez Universidade Federal de São Paulo; Departamento de Pediatria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/S0034-89102007000400021

Keywords:

Adolescent health, Overweight, Body mass index, Diagnostic techniques and procedures, Sensitivity and specificity, Predictive value of tests, Cross-sectional studies

Abstract

A cross-sectional study carried out among 418 adolescents between ten and 19 years old at a private school in the city of São Paulo in 1998. The objective of the study was to evaluate the proposed thresholds for diagnosing overweight among Brazilian adolescents. The percentage body fat was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. The cutoff points used for excess body fat were 25% for boys and 30% for girls. The body mass index was classified in accordance with Cole et al and with Conde & Monteiro. The Brazilian reference (Conde & Monteiro) presented higher sensitivity among younger girls (44.2% vs. 32.6%), older girls (18.9% vs. 17%) and older boys (83.3% vs. 50%). The Conde & Monteiro proposal presented higher positive and negative predictive values and provided higher-sensitivity predictions of excess body fat among the study population.

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Published

2007-08-01

Issue

Vol. 41 No. 4 (2007)

Section

Brief Communication

How to Cite

Vitolo, M. R., Campagnolo, P. D. B., Barros, M. E., Gama, C. M., & Ancona Lopez, F. (2007). Evaluation of two classifications for overweight among Brazilian adolescents . Revista De Saúde Pública, 41(4), 653-656. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0034-89102007000400021