Several studies have raised the suspicion that the body mass index (BMI) cut-off for overweight as defined by the WHO may not adequately reflect the actual overweight status. The present study looked at the relationship between BMI and body fat per cent (BF %) / health risks (hypertension and type 2 diabetes) in male residents of Lucknow city, north India to evaluate the validity of BMI cut-off points for overweight.

The vast majority of American middle schools and high schools sell what are known as ‘‘competitive foods,’’ such as soft drinks, candy bars, and chips, to children. The relationship between consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks and snacks and childhood obesity is well established, but it remains unknown whether competitive food sales in schools are related to unhealthy weight gain among children. The authors examined this association using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten

The study examined the validity of simple and novel measures of generalized obesity- [body mass index (BMI, kg/m 2 ), fat mass index (FMI, kg/m 2 ), and body fat percent (BF%)] and central obesity- [waist circumference (WC, cm), waist-hip ratio (WHR), and waist-to-height ratio (WC/ht ratio)] against BF% and BMI as criteria. It also aimed to predict fat-free mass index (FFMI, kg/m 2 ), FMI, and BF% ranges for various BMI categories.

Ruth Loos and colleagues report findings from a meta-analysis of multiple studies examining the extent to which physical activity attenuates effects of a specific gene variant, FTO, on obesity in adults and children. They report a fairly substantial attenuation by physical activity on the effects of this genetic variant on the risk of obesity in adults.

The assessment of growth is crucial for child care and reference data are central to growth monitoring. The authors aimed to assess the height, weight and body mass index (BMI) of Indian schoolchildren in order to develop gender appropriate growth charts for children 5-18 years of age.

The growth of a child is a mirror of his or her health. It is also a mirror of the health of the nation. With the advent of industrialization and food security, industrialized countries witnessed a marked 'secular trend' in the physical development of children, with increases in height, weight and advancement in the age of puberty. (Editorial)