The purpose of this study is to find out the better Body Mass Index for Korean children.
We surveyed 737 students in a primary school in Seoul. Among them, 373 were boys. Using the records of the physical examination done for the children every last 5 years, the data of the children's weights and heights for last 5 years were obtained. From these data, we calculated 6 Body Mass Indices(Quetelet Index, Modified Quetelet Index, Rohrer Index, Ponderal Index, Weight for lenght Index, and Body Surface Area Index). We analysed the trends of indices by age and by sex. The results were as follows ;
1. In boys, Quetelet, Modified Quetelet, and Body Surface Area Indices increased as the age.
The Ponderal Index increased till the second year and then remained unchanged. The change of the Weight for Lenght Index were unnoticeable for the the firs year, but the Index increased for next two years, and then there was no change. The Rohrer Index changed insignificantly all the years.
2. The trends of girls' indices were very similar to those of boys except the Weight for Length Index, which decreased slightly for the second year and increased till the fourth year for girls while never decreased for boys.
3. The Quetelet Index were significantly larger for boys than for girls in the first and second year(p<0.05). The Weight for Lenght Index was significantly larger for girls in the first and the second year, while it was opposite in the third and fourth year(p<0.05). The Body Surface Area Index was significantly larger for girls all the years but the fifth year(p<0.05).
