[Functional relationship between fat mass, skinfolds, under or overweight and the "ideal theoretical weight"]

Underscoring a functional relation between fat mass, skinfolds, under or overweight and the 'ideal theoretical weight', constitutes a fundamental datum in anthropology. Indeed, this relation, which differs according to age, sex, ethnic group and physical activity, provides information on the distribution of fat contained in the skinfolds, the under or overweight and the 'ideal theoretical weight'. The value of this relation lies not only in limiting the use of the corpulence index (W/H2) as an indicator of fat mass, but above all in the importance of physical activity and in the existence of a significant change in the distribution of fat according to the factors mentioned above.