Anthropometric Measurements of Fourth-Grade Students Compared to National and Regional Data

Brianna D. Higgins, Emily N. Werner, Abigail D. Gilman, Stella L. Volpe, FACSM

Department of Nutrition Sciences

Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Background: Approximately 17% of children in the United States, 2 to 19

years of age, are obese1. In addition, over one-third of children and

adolescents in the Unites States are overweight.2 In the Greater Philadelphia

area, 20% of children, 6 to 17 years of age, are obese.3 Obesity in childhood is

defined as having a body mass index (BMI) at or greater than the 95th

percentile, based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) growth

charts.1

PURPOSE: To assess anthropometric data of fourth grade students in the

Greater Philadelphia area compared to national and regional standards.

METHODS: These cross-sectional data included 12 elementary schools

selected for inclusion in a three-year school-based intervention. These data

represent baseline data from the larger, ongoing intervention. Height, body

weight, BMI and waist circumference were taken on 598 students throughout

the months of January to May during the 2013 to 2014 school year.

RESULTS: Mean height (± standard deviation) was 140.8±7.8 cm. Mean

body weight was 43.1±13.5 kg. Mean waist circumference was 70.0±14.1 cm.

Mean BMI was 19.8±4.5 kg/m2.

CONCLUSION: For boys and girls, the mean BMIs were 19.6 and 19.9 kg/m2,

respectively. Of all the children measured, 18.3% had BMI values between the

85th and 95th percentile, classifying them as overweight; while 18.2% had BMI

values at or above the 95th percentile, classifying them as obese. The students

assessed in this study had a greater total frequency of overweight and obesity

rates compared to the national, but not regional standards.

1. http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/childhood.html

2. http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/obesity/facts.htm

3. http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dch/programs/CommunitiesPuttingPreventionto

Work/communities/profiles/both-pa_philadelphia.htm

Funded by: Independence Blue Cross Foundation

Five hundred ninety-eight fourth grade students were recruited from the

Greater Philadelphia area. Through the months of January to May during the

2013 to 2014 school year, height, body weight, and waist circumference were

measured. These cross-sectional data included 12 elementary schools

selected for inclusion in a three-year school-based intervention. These data

represent baseline data from the larger, ongoing intervention. Height was

measured using a stadiometer, body weight was measured using a balance

beam scale, and waist circumference was measured using a tape measure one

inch above the umbilicus. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated using the

equation, weight (in kilograms) divided by height (in meters) squared.

* **

Participant Characteristics N Minimum Maximum Mean ± SD

Height (cm) 561 121 170 140.8 ± 7.6

Weight (kg) 561 20 113 43.1 ± 13.5

Waist Circumference (cm) 553 51 165 69.9 ± 14.1

BMI (kg/m2) 560 12 45 19.8 ± 4.5

SD = standard deviation; cm = centimeters; kg = kilograms; kg/m2 = kilograms/meters2

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Normal Weight Overweight* Obese**

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Body Mass Index Category

Percentage of Boys and Girls in Each BMI Category:Current Study versus United States

Boys Current Study

Girls Current Study

United States

*United States data found from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/childhood.html

**United States data found from http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/obesity/facts.htm

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Body Mass Index for Girls and Boys:Current Study versus United States

Current Study

United States

Error bars represent Mean ± SD

*Boys data found from http://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/data/set1clinical/cj41l023.pdf

**Girls data found http://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/data/set1clinical/cj41l023.pdf

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Normal Weight Overweight and Obese Obese

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Body Mass Index Category

Percentage of Children in Each BMI Category:Current Study vs CDC Philadelphia

Current Study

CDC Philadelphia*

*United States data found from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/childhood.html

**United States data found from http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/obesity/facts.htm

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Normal Weight Overweight* Obese**

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Body Mass Index Category

Percentage of Children in Each BMI Category:Current Study versus United States

Current Study

United States

• The average BMI for girls and boys in Philadelphia was higher than the United

States’ standards

• Students assessed in this study had a greater frequency of overweight and obesity

compared to the United States, but not Philadelphia standards

• Girls had a higher frequency of being overweight than boys and the United States’

standards

• Boys had a greater frequency of being obese than girls and the United States’

standards

*CDC Philadelphia data found from

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dch/programs/CommunitiesPuttingPreventiontoWork/communities/profiles/both-pa_philadelphia.htm