BACKGROUND: Anthropometric measures such as the body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference are widely used as convenient indices of adiposity, yet there are limitations in their estimates of body fat. We aimed to determine the prevalence of @entity28 using criteria based on the BMI and waist circumference, and to examine the relationship between the BMI and body fat. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: This population-based, cross-sectional study was conducted as part of the Geelong @entity170 Study. A random sample of 1,467 @entity1 and 1,076 @entity1 aged 20-96 years was assessed 2001-2008. Overweight and @entity28 were identified according to BMI (overweight 25.0-29.9 kg/m  ; @entity28 >= 30.0 kg/m  ) and waist circumference (overweight @entity1 94.0-101.9 cm; @entity1 80.0-87.9 cm; @entity28 @entity1 >= 102.0 cm, @entity1 >= 88.0 cm); body fat mass was assessed using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry; height and weight were measured and lifestyle factors documented by self-report. According to the BMI, 45.1% (95%CI 42.4-47.9) of @entity1 and 30.2% (95%CI 27.4-33.0) of @entity1 were overweight and a further 20.2% (95%CI 18.0-22.4) of @entity1 and 28.6% (95%CI 25.8-31.3) of @entity1 were @entity28 . Using waist circumference, 27.5% (95%CI 25.1-30.0) of @entity1 and 23.3% (95%CI 20.8-25.9) of @entity1 were overweight, and 29.3% (95%CI 26.9-31.7) of @entity1 and 44.1% (95%CI 41.2-47.1) of @entity1 , @entity28 . Both criteria indicate that approximately 60% of the population exceeded recommended thresholds for healthy body habitus. There was no consistent pattern apparent between BMI and energy intake. Compared with @entity1 , BMI overestimated adiposity in @entity1 , whose excess weight was largely attributable to muscular body builds and greater bone mass. BMI also underestimated adiposity in the elderly. @entity2357 models including gender, age and BMI explained 0.825 of the variance in percent body fat. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: As the BMI does not account for differences in body composition, we suggest that gender- and age-specific thresholds should be considered when the BMI is used to indicate adiposity.

Prevalence of XXXX and the relationship between the body mass index and body fat: cross-sectional, population-based data.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['women', 'men'] @entity170 :: ('MESH:D010024', 'Disease') :: ['Osteoporosis'] @entity28 :: ('MESH:D009765', 'Disease') :: ['obese', 'obesity'] @entity2357 :: ('MESH:C537770', 'Disease') :: ['Regression']
@entity28 :: (MESH:D009765,Disease) :: ['obesity']
