Relationship between Body Mass Index and Skinfold Thickness in Exercised and Sedentary Boys and Girls

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of obesity and the level of association between body mass index (BMI) and total skinfold thickness (TST) in physically active (PA) and sedentary boys and girls aged between 8-14 years. This relationship was tested by Spearman rank order correlation. In both genders, the lower obesity tendency between the ages of 8 and 11 years reached the highest level at the age of 12 years. In sedentary boys, the relationship between BMI and TST at 9 and 11 years old was at the highest level whereas it was the lowest level at 12 and 14 years old. In PA boys, there was a high-level relationship between BMI and TST at 9 and 10 years, and this relationship was the lowest at 12 and 14 years. In PA girls, the relationship between BMI and TST of 9, 10, and 11 years was at the highest and was the lowest at 12 and 13 years. In sedentary girls, the relationship between BMI and TST from 8 to 14 years tends to increase slightly. In conclusion, BMI and TST measurements cannot be used alternately in the evaluation of body composition of inactive and sedentary children aged 8-14 years. © 2019 by authors, all rights reserved.