IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v16y2019i16p2962-d258549.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Development of a Computational Model to Predict Excess Body Fat in Adolescents through Low Cost Variables

Author

Listed:
  • Carlos Magno Sousa

    (Department of Electrical Engineering, Biological Information Processing Lab, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luis 65085680, MA, Brazil)

  • Ewaldo Santana

    (Department of Electrical Engineering, Biological Information Processing Lab, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luis 65085680, MA, Brazil
    Laboratory of Signals Acquisition and Processing, LAPS, State University of Maranhão, Campus Paulo VI, São Luís 65700000, MA, Brazil)

  • Marcus Vinicius Lopes

    (Department of Electrical Engineering, Biological Information Processing Lab, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luis 65085680, MA, Brazil)

  • Guilherme Lima

    (Department of Electrical Engineering, Biological Information Processing Lab, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luis 65085680, MA, Brazil)

  • Luana Azoubel

    (Centro de Prevenção de Doenças Renais, University Hospital of Maranhão, São Luís 65080805, MA, Brazil)

  • Érika Carneiro

    (Centro de Prevenção de Doenças Renais, University Hospital of Maranhão, São Luís 65080805, MA, Brazil)

  • Allan Kardec Barros

    (Department of Electrical Engineering, Biological Information Processing Lab, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luis 65085680, MA, Brazil)

  • Nilviane Pires

    (Department of Electrical Engineering, Biological Information Processing Lab, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luis 65085680, MA, Brazil)

Abstract

Background: Excess body fat has been growing alarmingly among adolescents, especially in low income and middle income countries where access to health services is scarce. Currently, the main method for assessing overweight in adolescents is the body mass index, but its use is criticized for its low sensitivity and high specificity, which may lead to a late diagnosis of comorbidities associated with excess body fat, such as cardiovascular diseases. Thus, the aim of this study was to develop a computational model using linear regression to predict obesity in adolescents and compare it with commonly used anthropometric methods. To improve the performance of our model, we estimated the percentage of fat and then classified the nutritional status of these adolescents. Methods: The model was developed using easily measurable socio-demographic and clinical variables from a database of 772 adolescents of both genders, aged 10–19 years. The predictive performance was evaluated by the following metrics: accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and area under ROC curve. The performance of the method was compared to the anthropometric parameters: body mass index and waist-to-height ratio. Results: Our model showed a high correlation (R = 0.80) with the body fat percentage value obtained through bioimpedance. In addition, regarding discrimination, our model obtained better results compared to BMI and WHtR: AUROC = 0.80, 0.64, and 0.55, respectively. It also presented a high sensitivity of 92% and low false negative rate (6%), while BMI and WHtR showed low sensitivity (27% and 9.9%) and a high false negative rate (65% and 53%), respectively. Conclusions: The computational model of this study obtained a better performance in the evaluation of excess body fat in adolescents, compared to the usual anthropometric indicators presenting itself as a low cost alternative for screening obesity in adolescents living in Brazilian regions where financial resources are scarce.

Suggested Citation

  • Carlos Magno Sousa & Ewaldo Santana & Marcus Vinicius Lopes & Guilherme Lima & Luana Azoubel & Érika Carneiro & Allan Kardec Barros & Nilviane Pires, 2019. "Development of a Computational Model to Predict Excess Body Fat in Adolescents through Low Cost Variables," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-12, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:16:p:2962-:d:258549
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/16/2962/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/16/2962/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Qin Song & Yu-Jun Zheng & Jun Yang, 2019. "Effects of Food Contamination on Gastrointestinal Morbidity: Comparison of Different Machine-Learning Methods," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-12, March.
    2. Renan R. dos Santos & Erica C. Rosa & Thiago Rosa & Eduardo A. Ferreira & Eliana F. Gris & Rosângela V. de Andrade & Angélica A. Amato, 2019. "Sedentary Behavior: A Key Component in the Interaction between an Integrated Lifestyle Approach and Cardiac Autonomic Function in Active Young Men," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-13, June.
    3. Shaoyan Zhang & Christos Tjortjis & Xiaojun Zeng & Hong Qiao & Iain Buchan & John Keane, 2009. "Comparing data mining methods with logistic regression in childhood obesity prediction," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 11(4), pages 449-460, September.
    4. Ronald E. Dahl & Nicholas B. Allen & Linda Wilbrecht & Ahna Ballonoff Suleiman, 2018. "Importance of investing in adolescence from a developmental science perspective," Nature, Nature, vol. 554(7693), pages 441-450, February.
    5. Neta HaGani & Mika R. Moran & Or Caspi & Pnina Plaut & Ronit Endevelt & Orna Baron-Epel, 2019. "The Relationships between Adolescents’ Obesity and the Built Environment: Are They City Dependent?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-14, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Anika Frühauf & Martin Kopp & Martin Niedermeier, 2022. "Risk Factors for Accidents and Close Calls in Junior Freeriders, Adolescent Alpine Skiers and Adult Freeriders—A Comparison," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-12, November.
    2. Viera Kupčová & Michaela Fedelešová & Jozef Bulas & Petra Kozmonová & Ladislav Turecký, 2019. "Overview of the Pathogenesis, Genetic, and Non-Invasive Clinical, Biochemical, and Scoring Methods in the Assessment of NAFLD," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-25, September.
    3. Zych, Izabela & Rodríguez-Ruiz, Joaquín & Marín-López, Inmaculada & Llorent, Vicente J., 2020. "Longitudinal stability and change in adolescent substance use: A latent transition analysis," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    4. María López-Olivares & Carlos De Teresa Galván & Teresa Nestares & Elisabet Fernández-Gómez & Carmen Enrique-Mirón, 2021. "Lifestyle Factors Influencing Dietary Patterns of University Professors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-13, September.
    5. Grosch, Kerstin & Haeckl, Simone & Rau, Holger & Preuss, Paul, 2023. "A Guide to Conducting School Experiments: Expert Insights and Best Practices for Effective Implementation," UiS Working Papers in Economics and Finance 2023/2, University of Stavanger.
    6. Maria Giuseppina Bartolo & Rocco Servidio & Anna Lisa Palermiti & Maria Rosaria Nappa & Angela Costabile, 2023. "Pro-Environmental Behaviors and Well-Being in Adolescence: The Mediating Role of Place Attachment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(10), pages 1-12, May.
    7. Mohamed Ahmed Said & Amnah Ahmed Almatar & Mohammed Shaab Alibrahim, 2023. "Higher Sedentary Behaviors and Lower Levels of Specific Knowledge Are Risk Factors for Physical Activity-Related Injuries in Saudi Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-19, March.
    8. Abdullah Bandar Alansare & Lauren C. Bates & Lee Stoner & Christopher E. Kline & Elizabeth Nagle & J. Richard Jennings & Erik D. Hanson & Mark A. Faghy & Bethany Barone Gibbs, 2021. "Associations of Sedentary Time with Heart Rate and Heart Rate Variability in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-17, August.
    9. Florence Gignac & Caterina Solé & Jose Barrera-Gómez & Cecilia Persavento & Èlia Tena & Mónica López-Vicente & Jordi Júlvez & Jordi Sunyer & Digna Couso & Xavier Basagaña, 2021. "Identifying Factors Influencing Attention in Adolescents with a Co-Created Questionnaire: A Citizen Science Approach with Secondary Students in Barcelona, Spain," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-19, August.
    10. He, Jinbo & Chen, Xinjie & Fan, Xitao & Cai, Zhihui & Hao, Shudan, 2018. "Profiles of parent and peer attachments of adolescents and associations with psychological outcomes," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 163-172.
    11. Min-Xia Zhang & Hong-Fan Yan & Jia-Yu Wu & Yu-Jun Zheng, 2020. "Quarantine Vehicle Scheduling for Transferring High-Risk Individuals in Epidemic Areas," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-17, March.
    12. Kaylin Ratner & Qingyi Li & Gaoxia Zhu & Melody Estevez & Anthony L. Burrow, 2023. "Daily Adolescent Purposefulness, Daily Subjective Well-Being, and Individual Differences in Autistic Traits," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 24(3), pages 967-989, March.
    13. Borra, Cristina & Iacovou, Maria & Sevilla, Almudena, 2023. "Adolescent development and the math gender gap," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    14. Louise Black & Margarita Panayiotou & Neil Humphrey, 2019. "The dimensionality and latent structure of mental health difficulties and wellbeing in early adolescence," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(2), pages 1-24, February.
    15. Anna P. Giron & Simon Ciranka & Eric Schulz & Wouter Bos & Azzurra Ruggeri & Björn Meder & Charley M. Wu, 2023. "Developmental changes in exploration resemble stochastic optimization," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 7(11), pages 1955-1967, November.
    16. Yuliang Sun & Chunzhen He & Xinxin Zhang & Wenfei Zhu, 2020. "Association of Built Environment with Physical Activity and Physical Fitness in Men and Women Living inside the City Wall of Xi’an, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-13, July.
    17. Lior Miller & Nicole M. Butera & Mary Ellsberg & Sarah Baird, 2023. "Polyvictimization and Adolescent Health and Well-Being in Ethiopia: The Mediating Role of Resilience," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(18), pages 1-28, September.
    18. Elisabetta Aurino & Whitney Schott & Jere R. Behrman & Mary Penny, 2019. "Nutritional Status from 1 to 15 Years and Adolescent Learning for Boys and Girls in Ethiopia, India, Peru, and Vietnam," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 38(6), pages 899-931, December.
    19. Feyisayo A. Wayas & Joanne A. Smith & Estelle V. Lambert & Natalie Guthrie-Dixon & Yves Wasnyo & Sacha West & Tolu Oni & Louise Foley, 2023. "Association of Perceived Neighbourhood Walkability with Self-Reported Physical Activity and Body Mass Index in South African Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-16, January.
    20. Corazza, Ilaria & Pennucci, Francesca & De Rosis, Sabina, 2021. "Promoting healthy eating habits among youth according to their preferences: Indications from a discrete choice experiment in Tuscany," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 125(7), pages 947-955.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    obesity; adolescent; screening;
    All these keywords.

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:16:p:2962-:d:258549. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.