Anthropometric parameters in screening for excess of adiposity in Argentinian and Spanish adolescents: evaluation using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) methodology

Abstract

Background: Various anthropometric parameters have been proposed for defining overweight in adolescence, but few studies have evaluated their diagnostic accuracy in comparative terms, using samples from different regions.

Aim: To compare the performance of anthropometric parameters in determining the excess of adiposity in Argentinian and Spanish adolescents.

Subjects and methods: The sample is composed of 1781 Argentinian and 1350 Spanish subjects, aged 12–17 years. Excess adiposity was defined as percentage BF in the 90th percentile or higher. ROC curves established the validity of parameters to define excess adiposity.

Results: Descriptive statistics showed differences between the Argentinian and Spanish samples. ROC curves indicate that all the parameters analysed had, in the Spanish and Argentinian samples, a positive and elevated association with excess of adiposity. The waist-to-height ratio had the highest value of the area under ROC curve (AUC), while conicity index and waist-to-hip ratio had the lowest.

Conclusions: Differences exist with respect to size and body composition between the Argentinian and Spanish samples. ROC curves reflect a general pattern of variation. Waist-to-hip ratio and conicity index are less desirable in the diagnosis of excess adiposity and the most desirable is waist-to-height ratio.

• Adolescent overweight
• diagnostic accuracy
• obesity anthropometry
• ROC methodology

Acknowledgements

We wish to thank all the adolescents who took part in the research. Thanks also to Erik Lundin for his help in preparing the manuscript.