From fat to facts: Anthropometric references and centile curves for sum of skinfolds and waist-to-hip ratio in 2,507 adults.

<h4>Background and aims</h4>Direct assessment of skinfold thickness and waist and hip girths provides information about body fat and its distribution, avoiding estimation errors due to predictive equations. The present study aimed to provide new centile curves for the sum of eight skinfo...

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Main Authors: Francesco Campa, Giuseppe Coratella, Cristian Petri, Fabrizio Spataro, Davide Charrier, Giuseppe Cerullo, Giulia Baroncini, Eleonora Faraone, Giorgio Pio Alberto Marinelli, Sofia Serafini, Salvatore Vaccaro, Matteo Pincella, Pascal Izzicupo, Antonio Paoli
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0326111
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author Francesco Campa
Giuseppe Coratella
Cristian Petri
Fabrizio Spataro
Davide Charrier
Giuseppe Cerullo
Giulia Baroncini
Eleonora Faraone
Giorgio Pio Alberto Marinelli
Sofia Serafini
Salvatore Vaccaro
Matteo Pincella
Pascal Izzicupo
Antonio Paoli
author_facet Francesco Campa
Giuseppe Coratella
Cristian Petri
Fabrizio Spataro
Davide Charrier
Giuseppe Cerullo
Giulia Baroncini
Eleonora Faraone
Giorgio Pio Alberto Marinelli
Sofia Serafini
Salvatore Vaccaro
Matteo Pincella
Pascal Izzicupo
Antonio Paoli
author_sort Francesco Campa
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Background and aims</h4>Direct assessment of skinfold thickness and waist and hip girths provides information about body fat and its distribution, avoiding estimation errors due to predictive equations. The present study aimed to provide new centile curves for the sum of eight skinfold thicknesses (Σ8SKF) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) in adult population, and to identify breakpoints during adulthood.<h4>Methods</h4>The present investigation was conceived as a multicenter, cross-sectional study. Stature, body mass, eight skinfold thicknesses (i.e., triceps, biceps, subscapular, iliac crest, supraspinal, abdominal, thigh, and calf) and waist and hip girths were measured according to the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry protocol in 1,313 men and 1,194 women aged 18-65 years. Smoothed age- and sex-specific percentile curves were generated using the Lambda Mu and Sigma method. For both sexes, simple linear regressions of the dependent variable (Σ8SKF and WHR) versus the explanatory variable (age) were performed to investigate changes in the response variable's slope and to test for potential breakpoints.<h4>Results</h4>Reference percentile curves (3rd, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th, and 97th) for Σ8SKF and WHR were provided. In men, Σ8SKF increased by 1.0 mm/year between the ages of 21 and 59, while in women, it increased by 3.8 mm/year between the ages of 38.5 and 47. In men, WHR showed a progressive increase of 0.004/year until the age of 28.4, followed by a slower increase of 0.003/year throughout the lifespan. In women, WHR increased by 0.003/year from the age of 20-65.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Σ8SKF and WHR appear sex- and age-specific. Scientists and practitioners are provided with reference values for the adult population.
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spelling doaj-art-e7eb514bfc2e4e0fa1f88533eb5043982025-08-20T03:50:26ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01206e032611110.1371/journal.pone.0326111From fat to facts: Anthropometric references and centile curves for sum of skinfolds and waist-to-hip ratio in 2,507 adults.Francesco CampaGiuseppe CoratellaCristian PetriFabrizio SpataroDavide CharrierGiuseppe CerulloGiulia BaronciniEleonora FaraoneGiorgio Pio Alberto MarinelliSofia SerafiniSalvatore VaccaroMatteo PincellaPascal IzzicupoAntonio Paoli<h4>Background and aims</h4>Direct assessment of skinfold thickness and waist and hip girths provides information about body fat and its distribution, avoiding estimation errors due to predictive equations. The present study aimed to provide new centile curves for the sum of eight skinfold thicknesses (Σ8SKF) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) in adult population, and to identify breakpoints during adulthood.<h4>Methods</h4>The present investigation was conceived as a multicenter, cross-sectional study. Stature, body mass, eight skinfold thicknesses (i.e., triceps, biceps, subscapular, iliac crest, supraspinal, abdominal, thigh, and calf) and waist and hip girths were measured according to the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry protocol in 1,313 men and 1,194 women aged 18-65 years. Smoothed age- and sex-specific percentile curves were generated using the Lambda Mu and Sigma method. For both sexes, simple linear regressions of the dependent variable (Σ8SKF and WHR) versus the explanatory variable (age) were performed to investigate changes in the response variable's slope and to test for potential breakpoints.<h4>Results</h4>Reference percentile curves (3rd, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th, and 97th) for Σ8SKF and WHR were provided. In men, Σ8SKF increased by 1.0 mm/year between the ages of 21 and 59, while in women, it increased by 3.8 mm/year between the ages of 38.5 and 47. In men, WHR showed a progressive increase of 0.004/year until the age of 28.4, followed by a slower increase of 0.003/year throughout the lifespan. In women, WHR increased by 0.003/year from the age of 20-65.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Σ8SKF and WHR appear sex- and age-specific. Scientists and practitioners are provided with reference values for the adult population.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0326111
spellingShingle Francesco Campa
Giuseppe Coratella
Cristian Petri
Fabrizio Spataro
Davide Charrier
Giuseppe Cerullo
Giulia Baroncini
Eleonora Faraone
Giorgio Pio Alberto Marinelli
Sofia Serafini
Salvatore Vaccaro
Matteo Pincella
Pascal Izzicupo
Antonio Paoli
From fat to facts: Anthropometric references and centile curves for sum of skinfolds and waist-to-hip ratio in 2,507 adults.
PLoS ONE
title From fat to facts: Anthropometric references and centile curves for sum of skinfolds and waist-to-hip ratio in 2,507 adults.
title_full From fat to facts: Anthropometric references and centile curves for sum of skinfolds and waist-to-hip ratio in 2,507 adults.
title_fullStr From fat to facts: Anthropometric references and centile curves for sum of skinfolds and waist-to-hip ratio in 2,507 adults.
title_full_unstemmed From fat to facts: Anthropometric references and centile curves for sum of skinfolds and waist-to-hip ratio in 2,507 adults.
title_short From fat to facts: Anthropometric references and centile curves for sum of skinfolds and waist-to-hip ratio in 2,507 adults.
title_sort from fat to facts anthropometric references and centile curves for sum of skinfolds and waist to hip ratio in 2 507 adults
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0326111
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