Comments about the average body mass index changing with age in France, showing average BMI values
This article documents the French population’s body mass index. France has a population with less obesity than America. A graph of BMI centiles is shown below:
I show this graphic because it illustrates the curve shapes that occur in adulthood at all percentile lines. A "flat line" just isn’t realistic. Body Mass index keeps on changing with age.
I have replotted the 10th percentile BMI values from this article, showing the curving trendline of mens and women’s data combined. This represents skinny adults, who remain skinny throughout their lives, and yet, their BMI increases with age.
The data sources in this article were from 3 different surveys in 1980+1985, 1979, and 1976+1977. I realize this review is too short, and the summarized mean or median or average values and other percentiles, are just from one country. I’m intending to find time to link to additional countries to make this page a better resource.
Additional related References
- Thibault H, Carriere C et al. Prevalence and factors associated with overweight and obesity in French primary-school children. Public Health Nutr 2013; 16:193-201.
