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

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.