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Updated: Jun 10, 2026
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Moderately elevated body mass index is associated with metabolic variables and cardiovascular risk factors in Swedish
Christel Larsson1, Olle Hernell, Torbjörn Lind
1Department of Food and Nutrition, Umeå University, Sweden. christel.larsson@kost.umu.se
Insights
Children with elevated Body Mass Index (BMI) at age 10 show increased metabolic and cardiovascular risks. Higher BMI correlates with poorer metabolic markers and cardiovascular factors, highlighting early health concerns.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Cardiovascular Health
- Metabolic Syndrome
Background:
- Childhood obesity is a growing public health concern.
- Early identification of metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors is crucial for intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between anthropometric measurements and metabolic/cardiovascular risk factors in 10-year-old children.
- To assess correlations between Body Mass Index (BMI) and various health indicators.
Main Methods:
- Recruitment of 274 healthy children from a Umeå, Sweden cohort.
- Collection of anthropometric data, blood pressure, and blood samples at age 10.
- Simultaneous data collection from participating parents.
Main Results:
- 18% of children were overweight, 2% obese.
- Overweight children exhibited higher BMI from infancy and elevated insulin and HOMA index at age 10.
- Childhood BMI positively correlated with waist circumference, S-insulin, HOMA index, systolic blood pressure, and parental BMI/waist measurements.
Conclusions:
- Children with moderately elevated BMI at 10 years display increased metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors.
- A significant correlation exists between BMI and specific metabolic and cardiovascular indicators in children.
Aim:
To evaluate associations between anthropometrics and metabolic variables as well as cardiovascular risk factors among children.
Methods:
Subjects were recruited from a cohort of 274 healthy children in Umeå, Sweden. Anthropometric measures, blood pressure and venous blood samples were collected at age 10 years and simultaneously from parents.
Results:
Altogether 144 children (53%), 142 mothers and 123 fathers participated. The prevalence of overweight and obesity among the children was 18 and 2%, respectively. Overweight children (above age- and sex-specific cut offs corresponding adult BMI ≥ 25 kg/m(2) ), compared to normal weight children, had significantly higher BMI already during infancy and higher S-insulin and Homeostatic Model Assessment (HOMA) index at 10 years. The children's BMI was positively associated with waist (boys' r = 0.67, girls' r = 0.81), hip (r = 0.68), waist/hip ratio (girls' r = 0.37), waist/height ratio (boys' r = 0.59, girls' r = 0.80), sagittal abdominal diameter (r = 0.75), S-insulin (r = 0.45), HOMA index (r = 0.49), systolic blood pressure (r = 0.24), mothers' BMI (girls' r = 0.42) and mothers' waist (girls' r = 0.42).
Conclusion:
Children at 10 years of age with moderately elevated BMI had higher levels of some metabolic variables and cardiovascular risk factors than did normal weight children, and there was a correlation between BMI and some metabolic variables as well as cardiovascular risk factors.
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