TABLE 2.
Criteria used by practitioners to diagnose overweight and obesity, by age group
| Identification criteria by age group |
Overweight |
Obesity |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
FPs |
CPs |
FPs |
CPs |
|||||
| n (%) | 95% CI | n (%) | 95% CI | n (%) | 95% CI | n (%) | 95% CI | |
| Preschoolers (2–5 years) | 340 | – | 304 | – | 337 | – | 304 | – |
| >120% of ideal body weight | 55 (16) | 12–20 | 112 (37) | 32–42** | – | – | – | – |
| Weight-for-height >85th percentile | 43 (13) | 9–17 | 57 (19) | 15–23 | 18 (5) | 3–7 | 18 (6) | 3–9 |
| Weight-for-height >95th percentile | 81 (24) | 19–29 | 127 (42) | 36–48** | 181 (54) | 49–59 | 133 (44) | 38–50 |
| A BMI >25 kg/m2 for overweight or >30 kg/m2 for obesity | 32 (9) | 6–12 | 37 (12) | 8–16 | 61 (18) | 14–22 | 72 (24) | 19–29 |
| BMI-for-age >85th percentile | 146 (43) | 38–48 | 94 (31) | 26–36* | 9 (3) | 1–5 | 14 (5) | 3–7 |
| BMI-for-age >95th percentile | 82 (24) | 19–29 | 73 (24) | 19–29 | 111 (33) | 28–38 | 149 (49) | 43–55* |
| Children (6–12 years) | 368 | – | 314 | – | 360 | – | 314 | – |
| >120% of ideal body weight | 69 (19) | 15–24 | 111 (35) | 30–40* | – | – | – | – |
| Weight-for-height >85th percentile | 77 (21) | 17–26 | 81 (26) | 21–31 | 19 (5) | 3–7 | 23 (7) | 4–10 |
| Weight-for-height >95th percentile | 107 (29) | 25–34 | 151 (48) | 42–54** | 167 (46) | 41–51 | 129 (41) | 36–46 |
| A BMI >25 kg/m2 for overweight or >30 kg/m2 for obesity | 39 (11) | 8–15 | 41 (13) | 9–17 | 107 (30) | 25–35 | 102 (33) | 28–38 |
| BMI-for-age >85th percentile | 137 (37) | 32–42 | 95 (30) | 25–35 | 13 (4) | 2–6 | 22 (7) | 4–10 |
| BMI-for-age >95th percentile | 91 (25) | 21–30 | 73 (23) | 18–28 | 136 (38) | 33–43 | 171 (55) | 49–61* |
| Adolescents (13–18 years) | 404 | – | 320 | – | 382 | – | 312 | – |
| >120% of ideal body weight | 77 (19) | 15–23 | 109 (34) | 29–39* | – | – | – | – |
| Weight-for-height >85th percentile | 86 (21) | 17–25 | 89 (28) | 23–33 | 14 (4) | 2–6 | 24 (8) | 5–11 |
| Weight-for-height >95th percentile | 50 (12) | 9–15 | 70 (22) | 17–27* | 108 (28) | 23–33 | 123 (39) | 34–44* |
| A BMI >25 kg/m2 for overweight or >30 kg/m2 for obesity | 216 (54) | 49–59 | 104 (33) | 28–38** | 226 (59) | 54–64 | 117 (38) | 33–43* |
| BMI-for-age >85th percentile | 103 (26) | 22–30 | 160 (50) | 45–55** | 12 (3) | 1–5 | 28 (9) | 6–12 |
| BMI-for-age >95th percentile | 38 (9) | 6–12 | 48 (15) | 11–19 | 124 (33) | 28–38 | 181 (58) | 53–63** |
Subjects with missing values were excluded.
*
P<0.05;
**
P<0.01 by χ2 test. BMI Body mass index; CPs Community paediatrician; FPs Family physician