Anthropometric profile of Hong Kong children and adolescents: the Wellness Population of Youth Study

Abstract

Childhood obesity has been a public health concern increasingly. We investigated the age- and sex-specific body mass index (BMI), blood pressure level, and other obesity measures in Hong Kong children and adolescents. We used the data from Wellness Population of Youth Study, a health examination for anthropometric measurements among children and adolescents (aged 9–15 years) in Hong Kong, conducted in Oct 2012–Jun 2013 (n = 4410). Anthropometric measures including weight, height, pulse, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, triceps and scapula skinfold thickness, and waist circumference were measured following universal standard protocol. Overweight and obesity were classified using the 2000 International Obesity Task Force, 2007 World Health Organization, and 2000 Centers of Disease Control and Prevention age- and sex-specific growth charts. Hypertension was categorized using Centers of Disease Control and Prevention and Chinese standards. The prevalence of obesity, overweight, and hypertension of Hong Kong adolescents according to the above definitions were 5.4%–15.1%, 20.8%–25.9%, and 12.0%–13.8%, respectively. Boys had higher systolic blood pressure, waist, BMI, and waist-to-height ratio (all P