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t h
E u r o p e a n C o n g r e s s o n
Obesity and
Eating Disorder
Obesity 2018
Journal of Obesity & Eating Disorders
ISSN 2471-8203
A p r i l 1 2 - 1 3 , 2 0 1 8
Am s t e r d a m , N e t h e r l a n d s
Page 57
A
s for increasing prevalence of obesity in children, it is
essential to use a measure that accurately diagnoses
obesity in children. The purpose of this study was to
determine the sensitivity and specificity of body mass index
(BMI) compared to fat mass index (FMI) as a measure of child
actual obesity. In this study, obesity in children was compared
on the basis of two criteria. This cross-sectional study was
conducted in 580 girls, aged 8–10. Height and weight were
measured and BMI was calculated. Body fat using the body
composition analyzer (BCA) was measured and FMI was
calculated by fat mass in kilogram divided by height in meters
squared. In this study, FMI at or above 90th percentile of age
specific data (FMI 6.9 kg/m2) are known as obese and FMI
less than 90th percentile are known as normal weight. ROC
curves to evaluate performance BMI against FMI were used
to determine the actual obesity. The kappa test was used
to determine whether the two criteria were used to define
obesity in children. Mean and SD BMI and FMI in children
Fat mass index (FMI) or body mass index (BMI): which
is more accurate in diagnosing childhood obesity?
Mehnoosh Samadi and Amir Bagheri
Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Iran
J Obes Eat Disord 2018, Volume: 4
DOI: 10.21767/2471-8203-C1-009
was 19.4±3 (kg/m2) and 6±2.1 (kg/m2), respectively. The area
under the ROC curve 83% was calculated and the sensitivity
and specificity and cut-off point of BMI compared with FMI
was calculated to be 21.2 kg/m2, 59% and 97%. The agreement
between BMI=21.2 kg/m2 and FMI=6.9 kg/m2 in determining
obesity was 0.5. In this study, the BMI sensitivity was poor and
only 59% of the children who were obese based on FMI, were
also obese based on BMI and 3% of the children, who were
identified as non-obese based on FMI, were obese based BMI.
FMI seems a more accurate measure of obesity than BMI is,
however, more research is needed in this area.
Mehnoosh_samadi@yahoo.com