The impact of school-day variation in weight and height on National Child Measurement Programme body mass index-determined weight category in Year 6 children

Routen, A.C.; Edwards, M.G.; Upton, D.; Peters, D.M.

Abstract

Background In England, the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) annually measures the weight and height of Year 6 schoolchildren (age 10–11 years). While measurement protocols are defined, the time of measurement within the school day is not. This study examined the impact of school-day variation in weight and height on NCMP body mass index (BMI)-determined weight category in Year 6 children. Methods Standing height and weight were measured in morning and afternoon sessions in 74 children, boys (n= 34; height: 141.16 ± 7.45 cm; weight: 36.48 ± 9.46 kg, BMI: 18.19 ± 3.98 kg/m2) and girls (n= 40; height: 144.58 ± 7.66 cm; weight: 42.25 ± 11.29 kg; BMI: 19.97 ± 3.98 kg/m2) aged 11 ± 0.3 years. Results In the whole sample, height decreased (Mean =−0.51 cm, 95% CI: −0.39 to −0.64 cm, P= 0.01), weight did not change (Mdn = 36.40 to 36.35, P= 0.09) and BMI increased (Mdn = 18.04 to 18.13, P= 0.01). In girls weight increased (Mdn = 41.40 to 41.60, P= 0.01). BMI percentile increased (Mdn = 57th to 59.5th centile, P= 0.01). One girl increased in BMI category from morning to afternoon according to the clinical cut-offs (≤2nd, >91st and >98th) and three girls increased BMI category according to the population monitoring cut-offs (≤2nd, ≥85th, ≥95th). Conclusions School-day variation in height (and in girls alone, weight) impact upon increased BMI and BMI percentile in afternoon versus morning measurements in Year 6 children. Although not reaching statistical significance, resultant variation in categorization at the individual level may lead to unwarranted follow-up procedures being initiated. Further research with larger samples is required to further explore the impact of daily variability in height and weight upon both clinical and population monitoring BMI-determined weight status categorization in the NCMP.

Citation

Routen, A., Edwards, M., Upton, D., & Peters, D. (2011). The impact of school-day variation in weight and height on National Child Measurement Programme body mass index-determined weight category in Year 6 children. Child: Care, Health and Development, 37(3), 360-367. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2214.2010.01204.x

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: May 1, 2011
• Deposit Date: Feb 8, 2013
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 25, 2014
• Journal: Child: Care, Health and Development
• Print ISSN: 0305-1862
• Electronic ISSN: 1365-2214
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 37
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 360-367
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2214.2010.01204.x
• Keywords: Anthropometry, Diurnal variation, Measurement reliability, Obesity, Overweight.
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1466978