Body Mass Index and Percentage of Body Fat as Indicators for Obesity in an Adolescent Athletic Population: Why the Jackson-Pollock Formula?

摘要

Dear Dr Wojtys With great interest, we read the article titled "Body Mass Index and Percentage of Body Fat as Indicators for Obesity in an Adolescent Athletic Population," by William C. Etchison and colleagues. This study has merit, and the accomplishment of such a big study-with participation of about 34 000 athletes over a period of 18 years in 2 states-is commendable. However, we would like to bring up some points that we feel could have been a worthwhile addition to this study. Body mass index (BMI) has been used to determine risk of developing type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, BMI acts as an accurate tool for determining a healthy weight for the general population. However, it is a relatively poor predictor of body fat percentage, particularly in those who have a muscular body, such as professional athletes.