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
Concern for body weight in adolescence is reflected by the prevalence of poor body image, dieting for weight loss, and poor diet choices among obese adolescent girls (1-3). Adolescents diet [...]