The journal ‘Nutrición Hospitalaria’ has recently
published the study “Waist circumference
as a prognostic index of childhood abdominal obesity: findings in the Spanish
population” carried out by Ana M. Puga, Teresa Partearroyo and Gregorio
Varela Moreiras, professors at the Research Group of Excellence 'Nutrition for
Life' and Professor Santiago Angulo from the Faculty of Pharmacy at CEU San
Pablo University with Dr. Elena Sanchez Campayo, currently at the Navarra Clinic
and the Spanish Nutrition Foundation. These researchers are the first to have
established waist measurement cut-off points to diagnose obesity in Spanish
children. As Varela explains, "this
new form of measurement is a simple and valid alternative as a diagnostic
criterion for abdominal obesity in children."
The study was carried out using measurements from more
than 8000 children aged between 3 and 12 and has made it possible to establish waist
circumference cut-off points for the diagnosis of obesity. In particular, the
researchers explain that, “in boys, the
established cut-off points ranged between 54.5 and 88.0 cm in the different age
groups. On the other hand, in girls, the cut-off points for the diagnosis of
obesity ranged between 55.2 and 82.5 cm for the different age groups analyzed”.
Obesity in the child population has become a public health problem worldwide, due
to the correlation with an increased risk of premature death and disability.
As the professor of Nutrition and Bromatology points
out, “the problem of obesity in Spain
affects all population groups. Approximately 2 out of 3 Spanish citizens suffer
from excess weight”. Furthermore, Varela explains that the latest data regarding
the child population indicates that approximately 40% is overweight. “Compared to the situation a generation ago
the figures have tripled; and at a European level Spain is the second country after
Greece in terms of the prevalence of obesity among primary school children”.
In addition, the Nutrition expert sets out that, "we have a new problem, which we call
a new nutritional transition. This might occur as a consequence of changes in
eating habits and physical activity resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic."
Consequently, Varela highlights that, "we
are talking about growing food insecurity that can lead to a less healthy and
sustainable diet and, therefore, to worse consequences for health."
Different ways to measure obesity
Since the 19th century, obesity has been measured
through the Body Mass Index (BMI), thanks to its excellent correlation with the
percentage of body fat. However, in the paediatric population percentiles are
used. The researchers emphasize that this is not the best way: “it is important to note that BMI is not
capable of providing information on the distribution of body fat, and it is
this which is considered the most important risk factor for cardiovascular
disease and diabetes mellitus type 2, among other pathologies”. For this
reason, alternative indexes have been developed. These reflect abdominal
adiposity and are very easy to perform, such as waist circumference in the
adult population. However, to date no such cut-off points have been established
in the Spanish paediatric population, and this is the novel concept set out in this
publication.
Regarding the methodology used, Varela explains that, “the study was carried out in 8,241
children aged between 3 and 12. In addition to BMI, weight, height and waist
circumference were determined. The national criteria of the Faustino Orbegozo
Foundation, and the international criteria of the World Health Organization and
the International Obesity Task Force were used to diagnose excess weight and
obestiy”. The results obtained represent a simple and potentially useful
methodology both at the community and clinical level in the diagnosis of
abdominal obesity in children in Spain. They will therefore be able to
contribute to reducing this already highly prevalent problem in Spain.