Comparative Analysis of Local CDC and IOTF Criteria for Detecting Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Children from Tehran

Abstract

Background: To develop body mass index (BMI) cut-offs for overweight and obesity based on international obesity task force (IOTF) definition, in children in Tehran, and to compare these values with those of center for disease control (CDC) for local pediatric subjects in discriminating cardiometabolic risk factors. Methods: Anthropometric and biochemical information of 1555 participants, aged 5 - 18 years, from phase IV of the Tehran lipid and glucose study (TLGS), were used to obtain local IOTF and CDC cut-offs. We used the LMS method to develop BMI curves matching the adult cut-offs at the age of 18 years for defining obesity and overweight based on the IOTF definition. Using the CDC growth curves, overweight was defined as 85th ≤ BMI < 95th percentile, and obesity as a BMI ≥ 95th percentile. Results: The overall prevalence of overweight was 22.2, 23.9 and 10.5%; and that of obesity was 7.8, 9.0 and 4.2% using international IOTF, local IOTF and local CDC criteria, respectively. IOTF curves better discriminated the presence of all cardiometabolic risk factors, compared with local CDC curves. Conclusions: Local IOTF cut-offs for children in Tehran are in agreement with international IOTF values and better discriminate the cardiometabolic risk factors in children compared with local CDC cut-offs.