BODY-MASS INDEX AND PERCENT BODY-FAT - A METAANALYSIS AMONG DIFFERENTETHNIC-GROUPS

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between percent body fat and body mass index (BMI) in different ethnic groups and to evaluate the valid ity of the BMI cut-off points for obesity. DESIGN: Meta analysis of li terature data. SUBJECTS: Populations of American Blacks, Caucasians, C hinese, Ethiopians, Indonesians, Polynesians and Thais. MEASUREMENTS: Mean values of BMI, percent body fat, gender and age were adapted from original papers. RESULTS: The relationship between percent body fat a nd BMI differs in the ethnic groups studied. For the same level of bod y fat, age and gender, American Blacks have a 1.3 kg/m(2) and Polynesi ans a 4.5 kg/m2 lower BMI compared to Caucasians. By contrast, in Chin ese, Ethiopians, Indonesians and Thais BMIs are 1.9, 4.6, 3.2 and 2.9 kg/m2 lower compared to Caucasians, respectively. Slight differences i n the relationship between percent body fat and BMI of American Caucas ians and European Caucasians were also found. The differences found in the body fat/BMI relationship in different ethnic groups could be due to differences in energy balance as well as to differences in body bu ild. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that the relationship between perce nt body fat and BMI is different among different ethnic groups. This s hould have public health implications for the definitions of BMI cut-o ff points for obesity, which would need to be population-specific.