Abstract

PEREZ, Betty M et al. Sensitivity and specificity of anthropometric indicators of adiposity and fat distribution in Venezuelan children and adolescents. INCI [online]. 2009, vol.34, n.2, pp.84-90. ISSN 0378-1844.

The sensitivity and specificity of the body-mass index (BMI) and of the waist-to-height ratio (W/H), conicity index (CI) and waist circumference (WCirc) as indicators of overweight and fat distribution identifiers, respectively, were explored. Venezuelan children and adolescents 7-17 years of age (N= 382) were evaluated. The fat area was used as the golden rule for the BMI, while the subscapular/triceps index was used for W/H, CI and WCirc. Logistic regression, which sustains the analysis of ROC curves, was used to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the indices. The BMI turned out to be a good estimator to classify overweight in the four age-groups (7-9, 10-12, 13-15 and 16-17 years old) with sensitivity and specificity values of 0.86 and 0.92, 0.89 and 0,90, 1.00 and 1.00, and 0.86 and 0.92, respectively, and with areas under the ROC curve <0.85 (p<0.000). The distribution indicators did not show satisfactory sensitivity and specificity values, except for conicity in the 7-9 years group (0.86 and 0.68), with an area under the ROC curve of 0.76 (p<0.000). The BMI behaves as a good adiposity indicator, but the fat distribution indicators are less specific. Studies to explore the sensitivity and specificity of these indicators in larger samples and different ages are needed in order to approximate optimal values for overweight and obesity risk factor identification at early ages and centripetal distribution.

Keywords : Adolescentes; Curvas ROC; Niños; Obesidad; Sensibilidad; Sobrepeso.