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 Printable version |
New international definitions of childhood obesity |
Sang Thrombose Vaisseaux. Volume 16, Number 4, 187-92, Avril 2004, Mini‐revue
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 Résumé
Article gratuit
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Author(s) : Marie‐Françoise Rolland‐Cachera |
Summary : Nutritional status can be assessed using different measurements. The Body Mass Index (BMI) corresponding to weight\\height
2 can be used in children, but as it varies with age, reference curves must be used. The first curves were published in 1982 and subsequently, many other countries built their own references. In 2000, the international obesity task force (IOTF) proposed a new international definition for children. Cut‐offs to define overweight and obesity were respectively the centiles passing through values 25 and 30 kg\\m
2 at the age of 18 years. The choice of the reference used depend on the objective. The French reference curves present centiles defining thinness, normal range and overweight. They are used by paediatricians to assess nutritional status and help to identify children at risk of becoming overweight. IOTF cut‐offs define overweight and obesity only. They are recommended to assess the prevalence of obesity in epidemiologic studies. The new international consensus allows international comparisons. According to the studies, 10 to 20% of children are overweight, including 2 to 7% who are obese. In France, the prevalence of overweight children has doubled over the last 20 years. These figures show that it is important to identify the causes of obesity, to identify children at risk and to prevent its development. |
Keywords : obesity, childhood, prevalence, BMI curves |
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