Mid-upper arm circumference as a screening tool for identifying children with obesity: a 12-country study

J-P Chaput; P T Katzmarzyk; J D Barnes; M Fogelholm; G Hu; R Kuriyan; A Kurpad; E V Lambert; C Maher; J Maia; V Matsudo; T Olds; V Onywera; O L Sarmiento; M Standage; C Tudor-Locke; P Zhao; M S Tremblay; ISCOLE Research Group

doi:10.1111/ijpo.12162

Mid-upper arm circumference as a screening tool for identifying children with obesity: a 12-country study

J-P Chaput, P T Katzmarzyk, J D Barnes, M Fogelholm, G Hu, R Kuriyan, A Kurpad, E V Lambert, C Maher, J Maia, V Matsudo, T Olds, V Onywera, O L Sarmiento, M Standage, C Tudor-Locke, P Zhao, M S Tremblay, ISCOLE Research Group

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: No studies have examined if mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) can be an alternative screening tool for obesity in an international sample of children differing widely in levels of human development.

OBJECTIVE: Our aim is to determine whether MUAC could be used to identify obesity in children from 12 countries in five major geographic regions of the world.

METHODS: This observational, multinational cross-sectional study included 7337 children aged 9-11 years. Anthropometric measurements were objectively assessed, and obesity was defined according to the World Health Organization reference data.

RESULTS: In the total sample, MUAC was strongly correlated with adiposity indicators in both boys and girls (r > 0.86, p < 0.001). The accuracy level of MUAC for identifying obesity was high in both sexes and across study sites (overall area under the curve of 0.97, sensitivity of 95% and specificity of 90%). The MUAC cut-off value to identify obesity was ~25 cm for both boys and girls. In country-specific analyses, the cut-off value to identify obesity ranged from 23.2 cm (boys in South Africa) to 26.2 cm (girls in the UK).

CONCLUSIONS: Results from this 12-country study suggest that MUAC is a simple and accurate measurement that may be used to identify obesity in children aged 9-11 years. MUAC may be a promising screening tool for obesity in resource-limited settings.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	439-445
Number of pages	7
Journal	Pediatric Obesity
Volume	12
Issue number	6
Early online date	30 May 2016
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.12162
Publication status	Published - 5 Nov 2017

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SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

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10.1111/ijpo.12162

http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.12162

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Chaput, J.-P., Katzmarzyk, P. T., Barnes, J. D., Fogelholm, M., Hu, G., Kuriyan, R., Kurpad, A., Lambert, E. V., Maher, C., Maia, J., Matsudo, V., Olds, T., Onywera, V., Sarmiento, O. L., Standage, M., Tudor-Locke, C., Zhao, P., Tremblay, M. S., & ISCOLE Research Group (2017). Mid-upper arm circumference as a screening tool for identifying children with obesity: a 12-country study. Pediatric Obesity, 12(6), 439-445. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.12162

Chaput, J-P, Katzmarzyk, PT, Barnes, JD, Fogelholm, M, Hu, G, Kuriyan, R, Kurpad, A, Lambert, EV, Maher, C, Maia, J, Matsudo, V, Olds, T, Onywera, V, Sarmiento, OL, Standage, M, Tudor-Locke, C, Zhao, P, Tremblay, MS & ISCOLE Research Group 2017, 'Mid-upper arm circumference as a screening tool for identifying children with obesity: a 12-country study', Pediatric Obesity, vol. 12, no. 6, pp. 439-445. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.12162

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title = "Mid-upper arm circumference as a screening tool for identifying children with obesity: a 12-country study",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: No studies have examined if mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) can be an alternative screening tool for obesity in an international sample of children differing widely in levels of human development.OBJECTIVE: Our aim is to determine whether MUAC could be used to identify obesity in children from 12 countries in five major geographic regions of the world.METHODS: This observational, multinational cross-sectional study included 7337 children aged 9-11 years. Anthropometric measurements were objectively assessed, and obesity was defined according to the World Health Organization reference data.RESULTS: In the total sample, MUAC was strongly correlated with adiposity indicators in both boys and girls (r > 0.86, p < 0.001). The accuracy level of MUAC for identifying obesity was high in both sexes and across study sites (overall area under the curve of 0.97, sensitivity of 95\% and specificity of 90\%). The MUAC cut-off value to identify obesity was \textasciitilde{}25 cm for both boys and girls. In country-specific analyses, the cut-off value to identify obesity ranged from 23.2 cm (boys in South Africa) to 26.2 cm (girls in the UK).CONCLUSIONS: Results from this 12-country study suggest that MUAC is a simple and accurate measurement that may be used to identify obesity in children aged 9-11 years. MUAC may be a promising screening tool for obesity in resource-limited settings.",

author = "J-P Chaput and Katzmarzyk, \{P T\} and Barnes, \{J D\} and M Fogelholm and G Hu and R Kuriyan and A Kurpad and Lambert, \{E V\} and C Maher and J Maia and V Matsudo and T Olds and V Onywera and Sarmiento, \{O L\} and M Standage and C Tudor-Locke and P Zhao and Tremblay, \{M S\} and \{ISCOLE Research Group\}",

note = "{\textcopyright} 2016 The Authors. Pediatric Obesity {\textcopyright} 2016 International Association for the Study of Obesity.",

year = "2017",

month = nov,

day = "5",

doi = "10.1111/ijpo.12162",

language = "English",

volume = "12",

pages = "439--445",

journal = "Pediatric Obesity",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Mid-upper arm circumference as a screening tool for identifying children with obesity

T2 - a 12-country study

AU - Chaput, J-P

AU - Katzmarzyk, P T

AU - Barnes, J D

AU - Fogelholm, M

AU - Hu, G

AU - Kuriyan, R

AU - Kurpad, A

AU - Lambert, E V

AU - Maher, C

AU - Maia, J

AU - Matsudo, V

AU - Olds, T

AU - Onywera, V

AU - Sarmiento, O L

AU - Standage, M

AU - Tudor-Locke, C

AU - Zhao, P

AU - Tremblay, M S

AU - ISCOLE Research Group

PY - 2017/11/5

Y1 - 2017/11/5

N2 - BACKGROUND: No studies have examined if mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) can be an alternative screening tool for obesity in an international sample of children differing widely in levels of human development.OBJECTIVE: Our aim is to determine whether MUAC could be used to identify obesity in children from 12 countries in five major geographic regions of the world.METHODS: This observational, multinational cross-sectional study included 7337 children aged 9-11 years. Anthropometric measurements were objectively assessed, and obesity was defined according to the World Health Organization reference data.RESULTS: In the total sample, MUAC was strongly correlated with adiposity indicators in both boys and girls (r > 0.86, p < 0.001). The accuracy level of MUAC for identifying obesity was high in both sexes and across study sites (overall area under the curve of 0.97, sensitivity of 95% and specificity of 90%). The MUAC cut-off value to identify obesity was ~25 cm for both boys and girls. In country-specific analyses, the cut-off value to identify obesity ranged from 23.2 cm (boys in South Africa) to 26.2 cm (girls in the UK).CONCLUSIONS: Results from this 12-country study suggest that MUAC is a simple and accurate measurement that may be used to identify obesity in children aged 9-11 years. MUAC may be a promising screening tool for obesity in resource-limited settings.

AB - BACKGROUND: No studies have examined if mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) can be an alternative screening tool for obesity in an international sample of children differing widely in levels of human development.OBJECTIVE: Our aim is to determine whether MUAC could be used to identify obesity in children from 12 countries in five major geographic regions of the world.METHODS: This observational, multinational cross-sectional study included 7337 children aged 9-11 years. Anthropometric measurements were objectively assessed, and obesity was defined according to the World Health Organization reference data.RESULTS: In the total sample, MUAC was strongly correlated with adiposity indicators in both boys and girls (r > 0.86, p < 0.001). The accuracy level of MUAC for identifying obesity was high in both sexes and across study sites (overall area under the curve of 0.97, sensitivity of 95% and specificity of 90%). The MUAC cut-off value to identify obesity was ~25 cm for both boys and girls. In country-specific analyses, the cut-off value to identify obesity ranged from 23.2 cm (boys in South Africa) to 26.2 cm (girls in the UK).CONCLUSIONS: Results from this 12-country study suggest that MUAC is a simple and accurate measurement that may be used to identify obesity in children aged 9-11 years. MUAC may be a promising screening tool for obesity in resource-limited settings.

UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.12162

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85032920756

U2 - 10.1111/ijpo.12162

DO - 10.1111/ijpo.12162

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C2 - 27238202

SN - 2047-6302

VL - 12

SP - 439

EP - 445

JO - Pediatric Obesity

JF - Pediatric Obesity

IS - 6

ER -

Mid-upper arm circumference as a screening tool for identifying children with obesity: a 12-country study

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