Height-obesity relationship in school children in Sub-Saharan Africa: results of a cross-sectional study in Cameroon

Abstract

Background: In developed nations, taller children exhibit a greater propensity to overweight/obesity. This study investigates whether this height-adiposity relationship holds true for Cameroon children using two parameters of adiposity including body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC).

Methods: In 557 children (287 boys and 270 girls, mean age 9.0 ± 1.8 years) from the North West Region of Cameroon height, weight and WC were measured and BMI calculated. Variables were converted to standard deviation scores (SDS). Participants were divided into quartiles of height SDS, then mean of age and sex-standardized body fat parameters compared across quartiles. The frequency of excess adiposity was calculated within each quartile. Correlation and regression analysis were used to assess height-adiposity relationships.

Results: Multiple comparisons indicated a significant increase in mean BMI (-0.08 to 0.65) and WC (-0.11 to 0.87) SDSs with increasing quartiles of height SDS. Frequency of overweight/obesity and abdominal overweight/obesity was highest among children with highest height SDS (30.2 - 33.1%) and lowest in their shortest peers (0.7 - 5.0%). There was a linear relationship between height SDS and BMI SDS (R(2) = 0.087, p < 0.001); height SDS and WC SDS (R(2) = 0.356, p < 0.001) among both boys and girls.

Conclusions: This study shows that in Cameroon just as in developed economies a higher height SDS is associated with a higher frequency of overweight/obesity. This is independent of the parameter used to evaluate overweight/obesity (BMI SDS or WC SDS).

Figure 1

Nutrition status of the study population showing the distribution of overnutrition and undernutrition (< −2 SDS of weight-for-height, weight-for-age and height-for-age for wasting, underweight and stunting respectively).

Figure 2

Relationship between obesity parameters and height. a) Relation between BMI and height. Boys (R² = 0.061, p < 0.001); Girls (R² = 0.115, p < 0.001). b) Relation between WC and height. Boys (R² = 0.231, p < 0.001); Girls (R² = 0.154, p < 0.001).