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Updated: May 7, 2026
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Tracking of weight status and body fatness in Italian children
Stefania Toselli1, Patricia Brasili, Rocco Di Michele
1Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Selmi, 3, 40126, Bologna, Italy, stefania.toselli@unibo.it.
Insights
Childhood weight disorders are rising. This study tracked 355 children for 3 years, finding that body mass index (BMI) and body fat tracking are significant, highlighting the need for ongoing monitoring of children
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Childhood Obesity Research
Background:
- Rising prevalence of weight disorders in school-aged children necessitates identifying at-risk individuals.
- Understanding weight tracking is crucial for early intervention and prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence and tracking of weight disorders over a 3-year period in Italian children.
- To analyze the relationship between changes in body mass index (BMI) and body fat composition over time.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study involving 355 children assessed at ages 7 and 10 years.
- Measurements included body mass, height, and skinfold thicknesses to assess body fat.
- Analysis of tracking for body mass index (BMI), inverted BMI (iBMI), and body fat percentage.
Main Results:
- Children with overweight or obesity at age 7 showed a trend towards lower weight categories at age 10.
- Normal weight boys exhibited a trend towards overweight, while normal weight girls trended towards underweight.
- Body mass index (BMI), inverted BMI (iBMI), and body fat demonstrated significant tracking between ages 7 and 10.
- Changes in BMI and iBMI correlated with changes in body fatness.
Conclusions:
- Weight disorders in children require continuous monitoring, as they can emerge even in those with normal weight initially.
- Tracking of BMI and body fat is reliable, underscoring the importance of longitudinal assessment in pediatric weight management.
- Early identification and intervention are key, considering the dynamic nature of weight status in children.
Abstract:
The prevalence of weight disorders among school-aged children is an increasing phenomenon and it is of great importance to identify the characteristics of individuals at risk of gaining or retaining weight. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of weight disorders and their tracking over a 3-year period in a sample of Italian children. Body mass, body height and selected skinfold thicknesses were assessed in 355 children at the age of 7 and 10 years. Tracking of body mass index (BMI), inverted BMI (iBMI) and skinfold-based body fat were analyzed and the relationships between changes in BMI and body fat were examined. Children presenting with overweight or obesity at 7 years old showed a trend toward lower weight categories at 10 years old. Conversely, a trend to become overweight was observed among normal weight boys, and a trend to become underweight was observed among normal weight girls. BMI, iBMI and body fat showed good levels of tracking, with high correlations between measurements performed at 7 and 10 years of age. Furthermore, BMI and iBMI changes were correlated to body fatness changes. The present study shows the importance of carefully following children's development over time because weight disorders may appear even in previously normal weight children.
