Abstract
Objectives. The aim of the study was to compare commonly used anthropometry for cardiovascular risk factors in 14-year-olds. Methods. A total of 1 149 children of an Australian pregnancy (Raine) cohort with recruitment 1989–1991 were assessed for anthropometry and fasting lipids, insulin, and blood pressure. Results. There were significant distinctions in the associations between anthropometry and groups of cardiovascular risk factors. These distinctions differed by gender. Insulin resistance, triglycerides, C-reactive protein levels, low density lipoprotein (LDH)/high density lipoprotein (HDL) and total/HDL cholesterol ratios had the strongest association with waist, waist/height ratio and body mass index. By contrast, in boys, height was the strongest independent predictor (in a negative direction) of total and LDL-cholesterol. Blood pressure and uric acid was most strongly correlated with body weight and height (heavier and taller boys). Taller male adolescents had highest blood pressures and lowest cholesterol levels. Conclusions. No single adolescent anthropometric measure best predicted all cardiovascular risk factors. Each measure showed distinct relationships with specific groups of risk factors. Contrasting associations may reflect different pathogenesis by which gender, puberty, and adiposity affect metabolic risk. No single anthropometric measurement in childhood would appear to be superior or sufficient when investigating the developmental origins of cardiovascular health and related metabolic disease.
Acknowledgements
We acknowledge all the families in this study and the Raine Study team, including data collectors, cohort and data managers, clerical staff, research scientists and volunteers. We acknowledge the Raine Medical Research Foundation (University of Western Australia), Healthway, Western Australia and the Telethon Institute of Child Health Research (University of Western Australia) and the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). Dr Huang has been supported by an NHMRC Postgraduate Research Scholarship, by the NHMRC Centre for Clinical Research Excellence (Royal Perth Hospital) and Athelstan and Amy Saw Research Scholarships.
Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.