Body mass index (BMI) has been considered a criterion to define and analyse obesity in adults and children. BACKGROUND: the purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation between BMI and triceps skinfold (TSF). METHODS: there were studied 4,236 children (3.1-10.9y); 48.3%M:51.6%F, from four studies made in Paulínia, SP-Brazil. Height, weight and TSF (Holtain caliper) were measured. For each children BMI was calculated and transformed in SDS, according to North American data (Frisancho, 1993). Multiple linear regression analysis (stepwise) was used for the whole population and in three groups according to BMI: A) SDS <-1.0; B) -1.0 < SDS < 1.0; C) SDS ³ 1.0. Data were processed with SPSS software. RESULTS: in group A, the TSF (7.8 ± 2.3) variability was lower when compared with the groups B (10.1 ± 4.0) and C (17.8 ± 6.2). In multiple linear regression with the whole population, R² = 0.478 for TSF. In groups B and C, R² = 0.364 and 0.368 respectively for TSF, and in group A it was only 0.032. CONCLUSIONS: these observations demonstrated a height correlation between BMI and TSF in children with obesity risk (group C). Therefore, we conclude that, in Brazil BMI can be used for children's research of obesity in population studies, instead of TSF.
Nutritional assesment; Body mass index; Triceps skin fold
