Body weight statuses and their sociodemographic correlates among adolescents in southern Taiwan: results using two sets of cutoff references.

Purpose: To examine the differences in the prevalence of overweight and obesity based on the cutoff references established by the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) and the Working Group on Obesity in China (WGOC), the prevalence of underweight on the IOTF reference, and the sociodemographic correlates of body weight statuses in Taiwanese adolescents.

Methods: Overweight and obesity in 10,371 Taiwanese adolescents were determined by the IOTF and WGOC cutoff references for body mass index (BMI). Underweight was determined by the IOTF. The prevalence of overweight and obesity using the IOTF standard were compared to those using the WGOC standard. Associations of body weight statuses with gender, age, residential status, and parental education level were also examined.

Results: Using the IOTF standard, 3.4% were underweight, 15.2% were overweight, and 6.1% obese, whereas 14.1% were considered overweight and 8.7% were obese by the WGOC standard. For both genders, more adolescents were classified as overweight by the IOTF standard and as obese by the WGOC standard. Although females were more likely to be underweight than males, males were more likely to be overweight or obese than females. For both genders, although older age increased the risk of being underweight, younger age increased the risk of being overweight or obese. For males, living in urban areas was associated with being overweight, and low paternal education level was associated with being obese.

Conclusions: The prevalence of overweight and obesity may differ depending on the reference standard consulted. Paternal education level and urbanicity were associated with gender differences in the proportion of adolescents who were overweight or obese.