Triceps Skin Fold Measurement and Risk of Metabolic Syndrome in Overweight and Obese Adolescents

The prevalence of childhood metabolic syndrome is rising with an increase in obesity. The current confirmatory diagnostic methods for metabolic syndrome are invasive. Triceps Skinfold Thickness (TSFT) measurement is a non-invasive alternative. This cross-sectional study evaluated the performance of TSFT for screening overweight and obese adolescents aged 10-16 years for metabolic syndrome. Out of 60 participants, 17 (28%) had metabolic syndrome. The mean (SD) TSFT measurements were significantly higher in adolescents with metabolic syndrome compared to those without metabolic syndrome [29.4 (6.0) vs. 24.3 (7.6); P = 0.018]. A cutoff of 26.7 mm for TSFT demonstrated 88% sensitivity and 72% specificity in predicting metabolic syndrome. TSFT was found as promising non-invasive screening tool for metabolic syndrome.