Waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio percentiles in a nationally representative sample of 6-13 year old children in Switzerland.

Objectives: Central obesity, measured as waist circumference (WC), is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease and diabetes already in children. The ratio of waist circumference to height (WHtR) is a further indicator for body shape. International reference values, however, do not exist for any of the two measures and neither do references specific to Switzerland.