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Article
A comparison of field measures of adiposity among Australian adolescents from the Raine Study
Malaysian Journal of Sport Science and Recreation
  • Paola Chivers, University of Notre Dame Australia
  • Helen Parker, University of Notre Dame Australia
  • Beth P Hands, University of Notre Dame Australia
  • Lawrence Beilin, University of Western Australia
  • Garth Kendall, Curtin University of Technology
  • Max Bulsara, University of Notre Dame Australia
Year of Publication
2010
Abstract

This study examined the possible inter-changeability of common proxy measures of adiposity in adolescent 14 year olds from a large cohort. A sample of 1,607 adolescents (n=825 male and n=782 female) was drawn from the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study. Pearson Product Moment Correlation, Bland-Altman method, and Bland regression were used to determine the level of agreement between common proxy adiposity measures. The Bland-Altman and Bland regression results supported the notion that the two indices (Waist-height-Ratio and Body-Mass-Index) are measuring a similar construct (F = .974, p = .324). However 95 percent limits of agreement differed between the methods (95% CI [21.04, 21.52] and [17.71, 24.90] respectively), with the Bland regression approach suggesting that the measures are not interchangeable. These results provide evidence that different adiposity measures are not comparable, particularly when tracking weight status over time. The validity of WHR as an adiposity measure is questioned, and the similarity in weight status groupings based on WHtR and BMI, indicate these measures are most comparable.

Keywords
  • Pearson Moment Correlation,
  • Bland-Altman method,
  • Bland Regression limits of agreement,
  • adiposity,
  • BMI,
  • obesity,
  • Raine Study,
  • Waist-Height Ratio,
  • Waist-Hip Ratio,
  • waist girth
Citation Information
Paola Chivers, Helen Parker, Beth P Hands, Lawrence Beilin, et al.. "A comparison of field measures of adiposity among Australian adolescents from the Raine Study" Malaysian Journal of Sport Science and Recreation Vol. 6 Iss. 1 (2010) ISSN: 1823-3198
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/paola-chivers/28/