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Defining morbid obesity in children based on BMI 40 at age 18 using the extended international ( IOTF ) cut‐offs
Author(s) -
Bervoets L.,
Massa G.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
pediatric obesity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.226
H-Index - 69
eISSN - 2047-6310
pISSN - 2047-6302
DOI - 10.1111/j.2047-6310.2014.00217.x
Subject(s) - medicine , obesity , body mass index , waist , blood pressure , pediatrics
Summary Background Studies have reported that children who are obese are becoming more severely obese. Objective We aimed to classify obese children based on age‐ and gender‐specific centile curves passing through body mass index ( BMI ) 30, 35 and 40 at age 18 as ‘class I ’, ‘class II ’ or severe, and ‘class III ’ or morbid obesity. Methods I n addition to the International Obesity Task Force BMI cut‐offs corresponding to BMI 30 and 35, we calculated the BMI cut‐offs corresponding to BMI 40 using the LM S method proposed by C ole and L obstein. We classified 217 obese children according to these criteria. Results Fifty‐six (25.8%) children had class III obesity, 73 (33.6%) class II obesity and 88 (40.6%) class I obesity. Class III obese children had a higher waist circumference, systolic blood pressure and fasting insulinaemia compared with less obese children. Conclusion It is clinically important to classify obese children in different classes of obesity severity.