Are Body Composition Parameters Better than Conventional Anthropometric Measures in Predicting Pediatric Hypertension?

Chih-Yu Hsu, Rong-Ho Lin, Yu-Ching Lin, Jau-Yuan Chen, Wen-Cheng Li, Li-Ang Lee, Keng-Hao Liu and Hai-Hua Chuang
Additional contact information
Chih-Yu Hsu: Department of Family Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou and Taipei Branches, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan
Rong-Ho Lin: Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei 10608, Taiwan
Yu-Ching Lin: College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
Jau-Yuan Chen: Department of Family Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou and Taipei Branches, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan
Wen-Cheng Li: Department of Family Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou and Taipei Branches, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan
Li-Ang Lee: College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
Keng-Hao Liu: Department of General Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou Branch, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan
Hai-Hua Chuang: Department of Family Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou and Taipei Branches, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 16, 1-11

Abstract: Body composition (BC) parameters are associated with cardiometabolic diseases in children; however, the importance of BC parameters for predicting pediatric hypertension is inconclusive. This cross-sectional study aimed to compare the difference in predictive values of BC parameters and conventional anthropometric measures for pediatric hypertension in school-aged children. A total of 340 children (177 girls and 163 boys) with a mean age of 8.8 ± 1.7 years and mean body mass index (BMI) z-score of 0.50 ± 1.24 were enrolled (102 hypertensive children and 238 normotensive children). Significantly higher values of anthropometric measures (BMI, BMI z-score, BMI percentile, waist-to-height ratio) and BC parameters (body-fat percentage, muscle weight, fat mass, fat-free mass) were observed among the hypertensive subgroup compared to their normotensive counterparts. A prediction model combining fat mass ≥ 3.65 kg and fat-free mass ≥ 34.65 kg (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.688; sensitivity = 66.7%; specificity = 89.9%) performed better than BMI alone (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.649; sensitivity = 55.9%; specificity = 73.9%) in predicting hypertension. In conclusion, BC parameters are better than anthropometric measures in predicting pediatric hypertension. BC measuring is a reasonable approach for risk stratification in pediatric hypertension.

Keywords: body-fat percentage; body mass index; children; fat mass; fat-free mass; hypertension; muscle weight; waist-to-height ratio (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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