THE PRECISION OF ANTHROPOMETRIC ASSESSMENT OF BODY-FAT DISTRIBUTION IN CHILDREN

Precision estimates are given for indices of body mass, fatness and bo dy fat distribution in a sample of n=19 subjects selected at random fr om a larger study of cardiovascular disease risk in school-aged childr en. The Value of this study is that little is known about the measurem ent precision of ratio indices and multivariate constructs of body fat distribution in children or any other age group. Intra- and inter-obs erver precisions were highest for weight, height, body mass index and six body circumferences (0.95-0.99), and were lower and more variable for five skinfold thicknesses (0.80-0.99). The measurement precision o f ratio indices derived from the circumferences (waist/hip and waist/t high) and the skinfolds (subscapular/thigh and triceps/subscapular) we re lower and mole variable than precisions of the single variables. Ci rcumference ratio precisions varied from 0.81 to 0.96 and skinfold rat ios varied from 0.28 to 0.94. Precisions of a multivariate construct o f central fat distribution from five skinfold measures were better (0. 77-0.95), suggesting its greater efficacy. Inter-examiner precisions t ended to be significantly lower than intra-examiner precisions for ski nfold thicknesses and all composite indices. The lower precisions of r atio indites, compared to the measurement accuracy of the variables wh ich make them up, needs to be considered in epidemiological studies of body fat distribution.