Waist circumference in 6-12-year-old children: The Health Oriented Pedagogical Project (HOPP)

Aims: With overweight and obesity increasing worldwide, it has become ever more important to monitor the development and distribution of adiposity in children. This study investigated how the measurements of waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) in children 6-12years old relate to earlier studies. Methods: In 2015, 2271 children (boys, n=1150) were measured for height, weight, and WC. Parental education level was used as a measure of socioeconomic status. Results: A significant increase in WC with age was revealed for both sexes (p<.0001). Boys at 10 and 12years had a larger WC than girls; otherwise no difference between sexes was found. The WHtR decreased with age for girls (p<.0001); 14% of the sample displayed a WHtR 0.50. Comparison with earlier studies showed a higher WC and WHtR despite no change in weight and body mass index. Conclusion: WC and WHtR are recommended as tools for identifying central obesity in children. The results indicate increased WC in 6-12-year-old children compared with earlier findings.