Flegal Katherine M, Tabak Carolyn J, Ogden Cynthia L
National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hyattsville, MD, USA.
Health Educ Res. 2006 Dec;21(6):755-60. doi: 10.1093/her/cyl128. Epub 2006 Oct 27.
Studies in a variety of countries have shown increases in the prevalence of overweight among children in recent years. These increases have given rise to concern about children's health and well-being. The terminology used in these studies varies considerably. However, whatever the terminology used, such studies are generally based on weight [expressed as body mass index (BMI), a measure of weight for height, calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters] and not on body fatness per se. There are many different BMI references that can be used to define childhood overweight or obesity. Children are defined as overweight for population surveillance purposes using a variety of BMI cut points. BMI is a screening tool, not a diagnostic tool. Children with a BMI over these cut points do not necessarily have clinical complications or health risks related to overfatness. More in-depth assessment of individual children is required to ascertain health status. The definitions of overweight generally used are working definitions that are valuable for general public health surveillance, screening and similar purposes.
各国的研究表明，近年来儿童超重的患病率有所上升。这些增长引发了对儿童健康和幸福的关注。这些研究中使用的术语差异很大。然而，无论使用何种术语，此类研究通常基于体重[以体重指数（BMI）表示，BMI是身高体重的一种衡量标准，计算方法为千克体重除以米身高的平方]，而非基于体脂本身。有许多不同的BMI参考标准可用于定义儿童超重或肥胖。为了进行人群监测，使用各种BMI切点将儿童定义为超重。BMI是一种筛查工具，而非诊断工具。BMI超过这些切点的儿童不一定有与肥胖相关的临床并发症或健康风险。需要对个体儿童进行更深入的评估以确定健康状况。通常使用的超重定义是工作定义，对一般公共卫生监测、筛查及类似目的很有价值。
