Anthropometric body fat composition reference values in Spanish adolescents. The AVENA Study

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Endocrinology
• Nutritional Science
• Public Health

Background:

• The AVENA Study (Food and Assessment of the Nutritional Status of Adolescents) is a significant initiative in Spain.
• Establishing normative data for anthropometric measurements is crucial for adolescent health assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine reference values for body mass index (BMI), sum of six skinfolds (sigma6 skinfolds), and body fat percentage (BF%) in Spanish adolescents aged 13-18 years.
• To provide a basis for classifying Spanish adolescents regarding their adiposity levels.

Main Methods:

• A multicentre cross-sectional study was conducted with a representative sample of Spanish adolescents.
• Anthropometric measurements including weight, height, and six skinfold thicknesses were collected from 2160 adolescents.
• Body mass index (BMI), sigma6 skinfolds, and body fat percentage (BF%) were calculated using established formulas.

Main Results:

• Females exhibited significantly higher sigma6 skinfolds and BF% compared to males across age groups.
• In males, age significantly influenced BMI, sigma6 skinfolds, and BF%; in females, only BF% was significantly affected by age.
• Percentile distributions for sigma6 skinfolds and BF% were more dispersed towards higher values in males than in females.

Conclusions:

• The generated percentile values serve as essential reference data for Spanish adolescents.
• These reference values facilitate the classification of adolescents based on adiposity and the estimation of high or low adiposity prevalence.