Application of a Body Shape Index as an Anthropometric Predictor of Cardiometabolic Risks in Children and Adolescents (Systematic Review).

A body shape index (ABSI) is a novel anthropometric measure associated with body obesity. However, the research on the relationship between the new anthropometric risk index and metabolic disorders and cardiovascular alterations in the pediatric population is limited. The aim of the study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of the associations between cardiometabolic risk and ABSI and evaluate its discrimination capacity.

Materials and methods: A systematic search and analysis of the available scientific literature were conducted to identify relevant articles published up to March 2024 in Web of Science, Science Direct, Scopus, ResearchGate, and PubMed. All full-text publications reporting an association between cardiometabolic risk and ABSI in children and adolescents were considered eligible and reviewed in detail. The reported results and statements were summarized using meta-analysis methods.

Results: A systematic review of 17 cross-sectional studies involving 31,849 children and adolescents, predominantly from Asian countries, was conducted. Nine studies included fewer than 1,000 subjects, raising questions about the representativeness of the samples and the reliability of the reported results. The data regarding the relationship between ABSI and cardiometabolic risk remain controversial. Even when applying age- and sex-adjusted ABSI, and when compared with other established or newly introduced anthropometric measurements, the discriminatory capacity of ABSI remains uncertain.

Conclusions: The findings to date highlight the variable discriminating capacity of ABSI as a predictor of cardiometabolic risk in children and adolescents.