Work

Associations between body fat percentage estimated by the Deurenberg equation and anthropometric adiposity indicators in Chilean schoolchildren with intellectual disabilities

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Childhood obesity represents an increasing public health concern, particularly in the case of schoolchildren with intellectual disabilities (ID). This cross-sectional study examined the associations between body fat percentage (%BF) estimated using the Deurenberg equation and anthropometric adiposity indicators in a sample of 172 Chilean schoolchildren with ID. The median %BF was 21.21% among boys and 25.59% among girls. In boys, %BF was significantly associated with body mass index (BMI), (β: 1.51; 95%CI: 1.51, 1.51; p < 0.001), waist circumference (WC) (β: 0.49; 95%CI: 0.43, 0.55; p < 0.001), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) (β: 71.84; 95%CI: 58.10, 85.57; p < 0.001), neck circumference (NC) (β: 1.35; 95%CI: 1.10, 1.61; p < 0.001), and submandibular skinfold (SS) (β: 0.67; 95%CI: 0.35, 0.99; p < 0.001). Similarly, in girls, %BF showed significant associations with BMI (β: 1.51; 95%CI: 1.51, 1.51; p < 0.001), WC (β: 0.50; 95%CI: 0.40, 0.59; p < 0.001), WHtR (β: 72.89; 95%CI: 51.96, 93.82; p < 0.001), NC (β: 1.62; 95%CI: 1.24, 2.02; p < 0.001), and SS (β: 0.82; 95%CI: 0.26, 1.37; p < 0.001). Notably, these associations were stronger among girls than boys. These findings suggest that the Deurenberg equation may represent a practical and non-invasive approach for estimating %BF, as it showed significant associations with anthropometric indicators of adiposity among Chilean schoolchildren with ID.

Source: Scientific Reports

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-66588-w