TABLE 3.

High adiposity by sex, BMI category, and race-ethnic group: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999–2004¹

Smoothed percentile of body fat, 1999–2004, used to define high adiposity	Normal BMI	Intermediate BMI	High BMI
Boys
70th
Non-Hispanic white	7.3 ± 1.2	57.7 ± 4.5	92.5 ± 1.9
Mexican American	6.9 ± 1.1	66.1 ± 3.7	95.5 ± 1.1
Non-Hispanic black	1.7 ± 0.42	30.0 ± 5.02	85.8 ± 2.43
75th
Non-Hispanic white	4.5 ± 0.8	43.1 ± 3.4	87.2 ± 2.4
Mexican American	3.8 ± 0.7	46.9 ± 3.1	91.9 ± 1.1
Non-Hispanic black	1.1 ± 0.42	20.5 ± 3.92	77.4 ± 3.03
80th
Non-Hispanic white	1.2 ± 0.4	27.2 ± 3.9	80.2 ± 2.7
Mexican American	1.9 ± 0.5	31.7 ± 2.2	83.5 ± 2.1
Non-Hispanic black	0.4 ± 0.23	14.3 ± 2.83	66.1 ± 3.73
85th
Non-Hispanic white	0.4 ± 0.24	17.1 ± 2.8	69.1 ± 2.7
Mexican American	0.6 ± 0.24	17.3 ± 2.9	72.2 ± 3.1
Non-Hispanic black	0.2 ± 0.14	9.5 ± 2.5	57.0 ± 3.9
Girls
70th
Non-Hispanic white	7.0 ± 1.3	57.6 ± 4.8	94.4 ± 2.5
Mexican American	12.5 ± 1.4	67.1 ± 3.3	94.6 ± 2.2
Non-Hispanic black	1.9 ± 0.62	30.2 ± 3.52	86.4 ± 2.4
75th
Non-Hispanic white	3.6 ± 0.8	50.3 ± 4.3	91.6 ± 2.9
Mexican American	6.7 ± 0.9	57.4 ± 4.2	90.6 ± 2.7
Non-Hispanic black	0.9 ± 0.52	20.2 ± 2.92	78.6 ± 3.12
80th
Non-Hispanic white	1.8 ± 0.6	30.8 ± 3.6	86.3 ± 3.6
Mexican American	3.4 ± 0.7	32.3 ± 4.5	85.7 ± 2.9
Non-Hispanic black	0.4 ± 0.33	11.8 ± 2.12	68.8 ± 3.82
85th
Non-Hispanic white	1.0 ± 0.44	18.3 ± 3.5	74.1 ± 4.8
Mexican American	1.7 ± 0.64	17.0 ± 2.7	79.3 ± 2.7
Non-Hispanic black	0.3 ± 0.24	5.5 ± 1.82	56.6 ± 3.82

¹All values are prevalences (±SE) of high adiposity. Participants were aged 8–19 y and categorized according to different definitions of high adiposity on the basis of smoothed percentiles of percentage body fat.

²Significantly different from non-Hispanic whites and Mexican Americans, P < 0.006 (2-sample t test).

³Significantly different from Mexican Americans, P < 0.006 (2-sample t test).

⁴Estimates had a relative SE >30% and did not meet standards of statistical reliability and precision.