Relationship of Anthropometric Indices to Abdominal and Total Body Fat in Youth: Sex and Race Differences

OBJECTIVE: To determine the influence of sex and race on relationships between anthropometry (body mass index [BMI], waist circumference [WC], waist-to-height ratio [W/Ht]), and adiposity (fat mass [FM], abdominal subcutaneous [SAT] and visceral adipose tissue [VAT]) in African American and white youth. DESIGN AND METHODS: The sample included 382 youth 5–18 years of age. FM and abdominal adiposity were assessed using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry and magnetic resonance imaging. Regression was used to examine sex and race effects in the relationship between independent (BMI, WC, and W/Ht) and dependent (FM, SAT and VAT) variables. RESULTS: BMI and WC were highly related to adiposity while W/Ht was moderately related. The association of BMI with FM and SAT was independent of sex and race, while the relationships of WC and W/Ht with FM and SAT were influenced by both sex and race. In contrast, the association between BMI and VAT was influenced by sex and race, while the relationships of WC and W/Ht with VAT were not. CONCLUSIONS: WC and W/Ht have similar relationships with adiposity; however, WC presented stronger relationships. BMI is a predictor of overall adiposity but sex and race play a role in its relationship with VAT.