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Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Reliability of calculating body mass index centile
V J Poustie1, R L Smyth, T J Cole
1Department of Public Health, University of Liverpool, UK. v.poustie@liv.ac.uk
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
|February 17, 2005
Summary
Dietitians found plotting body mass index (BMI) centiles on a chart more reliable than using the Cole Calculator. Familiarity with the centile chart method likely contributed to its superior accuracy in assessing children's body fatness.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Nutrition Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Accurate assessment of body fatness in children is crucial for identifying health risks.
- Body mass index (BMI) centile is a standard metric for evaluating pediatric body composition.
- Reliability in calculating BMI centiles is essential for consistent clinical practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the reliability of two distinct methods for calculating body mass index (BMI) centiles in children.
- To evaluate the accuracy and consistency of the Cole Calculator versus manual plotting on a BMI centile chart.
- To determine which method offers greater precision for assessing pediatric body fatness.
Main Methods:
- Forty-two registered dietitians participated in the study.
- Participants calculated BMI centiles for six pediatric cases.
- Two methods were employed: the Cole Calculator (slide rule) and manual plotting on a BMI centile chart.
Main Results:
- The manual plotting on the BMI centile chart demonstrated higher reliability compared to the Cole Calculator.
- The Cole Calculator yielded less consistent results in BMI centile determination.
- Greater familiarity with the centile chart method is suggested as a reason for its improved reliability.
Conclusions:
- Manual plotting on BMI centile charts is a more reliable method for assessing children's body fatness than the Cole Calculator.
- Clinical practice should consider the reliability differences between these BMI calculation methods.
- Further investigation into factors influencing the reliability of pediatric body composition assessment tools is warranted.
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