ADIPOSITY AND BODY-MASS INDEXES IN CHILDREN - BENNS INDEX AND OTHER WEIGHT-FOR-HEIGHT INDEXES AS MEASURES OF RELATIVE ADIPOSITY

OBJECTIVES: Several forms of weight for height or body mass index (BMI ) ate in widespread epidemiological and clinical use as measures of re lative adiposity, The form derived by Benn for adults has been advocat ed for use in children and practical aspects of this proposition are c onsidered. METHODS: Height and weight data from 8492 Australian school children aged 7 to 15 were studied, A subsample of 2753 children aged 9, 12 and 15 years had skinfold thicknesses measured, The sum of four skinfolds and percentage body fat predicted from skinfolds were used a s measures of adiposity, RESULTS: Of the various forms of power type B MI examined. weight/(height)(2) was most closely associated with adipo sity in this sample, Benn's assumption of low correlation between heig ht and adiposity (which holds in adults) was not satisfied in children . CONCLUSIONS: Benn's index is not recommended for general use as a bo dy mass index in children. However, Benn's relative weight has advanta ges as an indirect measure of adiposity which may be of value in epide miological studies among children.