BIOMAT Database Logo BIOMAT Database Logo

Asians have lower body mass index (BMI) but higher percent body fat than do whites: comparisons of anthropometric measurements. 1994

J Wang, and J C Thornton, and M Russell, and S Burastero, and S Heymsfield, and R N Pierson
Body Composition Unit, St Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, Columbia University, New York, NY 10025.

We studied the correlations between body mass index (BMI) and percent body fat (fat%) measured by dual-photon absorptiometry (DPA) in 445 white and 242 Asian adults aged 18-94 y. In addition, comparisons in six circumferences and eight skinfold-thickness measurements between whites and Asians were made to explain the discrepancies. Although Asians had lower BMI, they were fatter than whites of both sexes. The correlations between fat% and BMI varied by BMI and sex and race. Comparisons in anthropometry show that Asians had more subcutaneous fat than did whites and had different fat distributions from whites. Asians had more upper-body subcutaneous fat than did whites. The magnitude of differences between the two races was greater in females than in males. Prediction equations developed for each sex and race, based on BMI alone, gave SEEs ranging from 4.4% to 5.7%. All were significantly improved to the range of 3.5-4.4% when age and several skinfold-thickness measurements were added.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D005006 Ethnicity A group of people with a common cultural heritage that sets them apart from others in a variety of social relationships. Ethnic Groups,Nationality,Ethnic Group,Nationalities
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000273 Adipose Tissue Specialized connective tissue composed of fat cells (ADIPOCYTES). It is the site of stored FATS, usually in the form of TRIGLYCERIDES. In mammals, there are two types of adipose tissue, the WHITE FAT and the BROWN FAT. Their relative distributions vary in different species with most adipose tissue being white. Fatty Tissue,Body Fat,Fat Pad,Fat Pads,Pad, Fat,Pads, Fat,Tissue, Adipose,Tissue, Fatty
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly
D000369 Aged, 80 and over Persons 80 years of age and older. Oldest Old
D000886 Anthropometry The technique that deals with the measurement of the size, weight, and proportions of the human or other primate body.

Related Publications

J Wang, and J C Thornton, and M Russell, and S Burastero, and S Heymsfield, and R N Pierson
Koreans Do Not Have Higher Percent Body Fat than Australians: Implication for the Diagnosis of Obesity in Asians.
November 2019, Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.),
J Wang, and J C Thornton, and M Russell, and S Burastero, and S Heymsfield, and R N Pierson
Body mass index (BMI) predicts percent body fat better than body adiposity index (BAI) in school children.
January 2015, Anthropologischer Anzeiger; Bericht uber die biologisch-anthropologische Literatur,
J Wang, and J C Thornton, and M Russell, and S Burastero, and S Heymsfield, and R N Pierson
Brief communication: Body mass index, body adiposity index, and percent body fat in Asians.
October 2013, American journal of physical anthropology,
J Wang, and J C Thornton, and M Russell, and S Burastero, and S Heymsfield, and R N Pierson
Measuring adiposity in patients: the utility of body mass index (BMI), percent body fat, and leptin.
January 2012, PloS one,
J Wang, and J C Thornton, and M Russell, and S Burastero, and S Heymsfield, and R N Pierson
Asian adolescents have a higher trunk:peripheral fat ratio than Whites.
March 2006, The Journal of nutrition,
J Wang, and J C Thornton, and M Russell, and S Burastero, and S Heymsfield, and R N Pierson
Percent body fat is a better predictor of cardiovascular risk factors than body mass index.
July 2012, Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas medicas e biologicas,
J Wang, and J C Thornton, and M Russell, and S Burastero, and S Heymsfield, and R N Pierson
Percent body fat in obese white females predicted by anthropometric measurements.
January 1991, The American journal of clinical nutrition,
J Wang, and J C Thornton, and M Russell, and S Burastero, and S Heymsfield, and R N Pierson
Percent Body Fat Is More Predictive of Function After Total Joint Arthroplasty Than Body Mass Index.
May 2016, The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume,
J Wang, and J C Thornton, and M Russell, and S Burastero, and S Heymsfield, and R N Pierson
Race and epicardial fat: the impact of anthropometric measurements, percent body fat and sex.
January 2013, Ethnicity & disease,
J Wang, and J C Thornton, and M Russell, and S Burastero, and S Heymsfield, and R N Pierson
[Body mass index (BMI) and percent fat mass. A BMI > 27.5 kg/m2 could be indicative of obesity in the Spanish population].
December 2001, Medicina clinica,
Copied contents to your clipboard!