Self-reported body silhouettes: a diagnostic instrument for anthropometric parameters.

OBJECTIVE: Routine body size measurement of anthropometric values requires professionals, standardized techniques, and calibrated tools. Therefore, there is a need for easier screening tools such as the self-reported body silhouette (Self-bosi). The aim of this study was to analyze the performance of Self-bosi as a proxy of anthropometric values. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective analytic study of the Health Workers Cohort Study. METHODS: Adult participants of the Health Workers Cohort Study were included. Then, through the calculation sensitivity and specificity of Self-bosi to detect abnormal waist circumference (WC) (≥90 cm for male and ≥80 cm for female participants), elevated body fat percentage (BF%) (≥25% for male and ≥35% for female participants), as well as overweight and obesity (≥25 kg/m2) and obesity (≥30 kg/m2). RESULTS: A total of 2471 male and 5940 female participants were analyzed. Overall, Self-bosi discriminate high WC values (area under the curve [AUC]; male participants: 0.80, female participants: 0.82); increased BF% (AUC: male participants: 0.78, female participants: 0.83); overweight and obesity (AUC: male participants: 0.81, female participants: 0.86); and obesity (AUC: male participants: 0.83, female participants: 0.89). CONCLUSION: Self-bosi is an accurate method to assess increased WC, BF%, obesity, and overweight-obesity in Mexican adults. Given its simplicity and low-cost of the self-reported body silhouette, it might be considered a useful anthropometric screening instrument in large scale epidemiological research.

Association between sweetened beverage consumption and body mass index, proportion of body fat and body fat distribution in Mexican adolescents.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: It was the aim of this study to evaluate the relationships between sweetened beverage (SB) consumption and the following indicators of overweight/fatness among Mexican adolescents: body mass index, body composition and body fat distribution. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of data from adolescents participating in the baseline assessment of the Health Workers Cohort Study. Information on sociodemographic conditions, sexual maturation, dietary patterns and physical activity was collected via self-administered questionnaires. SB consumption was evaluated through a validated semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. Anthropometric measures were assessed with standardized procedures. The associations of interest were evaluated by means of multivariate regression and logistic regression models. RESULTS: A total of 1,055 adolescents, 10-19 years old (mean age 14.5+/-2.5 years), were evaluated. The overweight/obesity prevalence was 31.6% among girls and 31.9% among boys. We found that for each additional SB serving consumed daily, the subject's body mass index increased by on average 0.33 (p<0.001). Subjects consuming 3 daily servings of SB face a 2.1 times greater risk of proportionally excess body fat than those who consume less than 1 SB a day. CONCLUSIONS: Our data support the hypothesis that the consumption of SB increases the risk of overweight and/or obesity and encourages excess body fat and central obesity in Mexican adolescents.