Abstract

Author(s): Martín Turrero, Irene1,2; Maroto Rodríguez, Javier1; Reurer Cardona, Caterina1; Vázquez, Vanesa3; Lomaglio Delia, Beatriz4; González Montero de Espinosa, Marisa1; Marrodán Serrano, María Dolores1

Introduction: The Body Mass Index (BMI) is used to assess nutritional status in children and adults, but its main limitation is that it does not take into account body composition or length of body segments. The Cormic Index (CI) is used to assess proportionality and relates setting height to total height.

Objectives: To analyse the evolution of BMI and CI with age and the association between them.

Methodology: an international sample of 7,688 boys and girls between 6 and 18 years old is used. The ontogenetic variability of BMI and CI by age and their sexual dimorphism were analysed, as well as the association between nutritional condition and relative size of the trunk.

Results: BMI increases with age in both sexes. The CI decreases until 12 years, at which time it begins to increase reaching higher averages in the female sex. High CI values are related to overweight or obesity, while low CI values are related to underweight (p<0.001).

Conclusions: subjects with shorter lower extremities in relation to height have a greater risk of being classified as overweight or obese, because the trunk accounts for the largest proportion of total body weight. The combination of CI and BMI could improve the diagnosis of the nutritional condition of individuals.