Population‐based waist circumference and waist‐to‐height ratio reference values in preschool children
Abstract
AIM: To establish new reference values for measurements of waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio in preschool children. METHODS: A population-based, cross-sectional study of 4502 children aged 0-5 years derived from child health care in a Swedish county. Measurements of weight, height and waist circumference were recorded using a standardized procedure. RESULTS: New reference values for waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio for preschool children are presented. Reference charts were constructed and are presented. Waist circumference increased with age (r = 0.80, p < 0.001). After adjustment to the individual height, expressed as waist-to-height ratio, there was an inverse correlation to age during the first 5 years of age (r = -0.87, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The new reference values for waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio for Swedish preschool children enable future identification of new risk populations for childhood obesity. For clinicians, new reference charts for these two variables are provided for practical use.
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International studies have shown that the WHtR cutoff of 0.5 is not applicable to children or adolescents, and that it would be better to use WHtR percentiles specific for age and sex.
“International studies have also shown that the WHtR cutoff of 0.5, which is mainly used in adults, is not applicable to children or adolescents, who are still growing, and that it would be better to use WHtR percentiles that are specific for age and sex.16,32”
From Reference Values for Waist Circumference and Waist–Height Ratio in Korean Children and Adolescents (2022) · cites this paper as [32]
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Lee, S., Bacha, F., Gungor, N., & Arslanian, S. (2008) · The Journal of Pediatrics · doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2007.07.053 · Cited by 161 · see citing works
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Martin-Calvo, N., Moreno-Galarraga, L., & Martinez-Gonzalez, M. (2016) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu8080512 · Cited by 122 · see citing works
Reference Values for Waist Circumference and Waist–Height Ratio in Korean Children and Adolescents
Lee, J., Kang, S.-C., Kwon, O., Hwang, S.-S., Moon, J. S., & Kim, J. (2022) · Journal of Obesity & Metabolic Syndrome · doi:10.7570/jomes22033 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
- Authors
- Roswall, J., Bergman, S., Almqvist‐Tangen, G., Alm, B., Niklasson, A., Nierop, A. F., & Dahlgren, J.
- Affiliations
- Hallands sjukhus Halmstad (SE)
- Spenshult Hospital (SE)
- University of Gothenburg (SE)
- Corresponding author
- Roswall, Josefine
- Venue
- Acta Paediatrica
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2009-09
- Volume
- 98
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 1632-1636
- ISSN
- 0365-1436 (ISSN-L)
- 0803-5253
- 1651-2227
- OpenAlex
- W2037648222
- Cited by
- 58
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 4 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 7
- FWCI
- 5.03
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Acta Paediatrica (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Body Composition Measurement Techniques
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Diabetes, Cardiovascular Risks, and Lipoproteins
- Keywords
- waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, preschool children, reference values, reference charts, childhood obesity, abdominal obesity, anthropometry, age-related growth
- MeSH terms
- Body Height, Body Weights and Measures, Child, Preschool, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Male, Obesity, Reference Values, Sweden, Body Mass Index, Prevalence, Age Distribution, Sex Distribution, Overweight, Waist Circumference
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