Discrepancies among predictors of desirable weight for black and white obese adolescent girls

Desirable weights were determined for 26 black and white, postmenarchal girls (11 to 15 years old) with juvenile-onset obesity. Each subject was measured for height, weight, triceps and subscapular fatfolds, and body density by underwater weighing (UWW). Body mass indexes and desirable weights were determined by UWW, from the US National Health Examination Survey (NHES) data, and from the Slaughter fatfold equation to estimate body fat. Desirable weights obtained from NHES growth charts were consistently lower than those obtained from UWW, especially for blacks (P<.01). Findings from both the Slaughter fatfold equation and percent body fat from UWW indicated that growth charts provide lower-than-appropriate weight goals for both black and white obese girls. Results of our study suggest that health professionals should consider a measurement of body composition or at least increase desirable weights by 10% to 30% when setting weight recommendations from weight-for-height charts for obese adolescent girls.