Relationship Between Wrist Circumference and Adiposity-Related Anthropometric Indicators Among Adolescents in Bade, Nigeria

Body mass index is widely used in adolescent nutritional assessment, but it cannot differentiate between fat mass and lean body mass, and its utility may be strengthened by simple circumference-based measurements. This study assessed the relationship between wrist circumference and BMI-related and circumference-based anthropometric indicators among adolescent students attending secondary schools in Bade LGA, Yobe State, northeastern Nigeria. Using a cross-sectional design, the study enrolled 401 students aged 12–17 years selected from public and private secondary schools using stratified random sampling. Height, weight, body mass index, neck circumference, and wrist circumference were each assessed following recognized anthropometric protocols. Descriptive statistics included frequencies, means, and standard deviations. Group comparisons were made using independent t-tests to compare anthropometric indices by sex and school type, while Pearson correlation assessed relationships between wrist circumference, body mass index, and neck circumference at p < 0.05. Participants comprised 200 males and 201 females, with a mean age of 14.9 ± 1.5 years. Mean wrist circumference was 15.0 ± 1.2 cm. Males had significantly higher wrist circumference than females (15.6 ± 1.1 cm versus 14.5 ± 1.1 cm; p < 0.001). Wrist circumference correlated positively with body mass index (r = 0.60, p < 0.001) and neck circumference (r = 0.70, p < 0.001). Private-school students had higher wrist and neck circumferences than public-school students. Wrist circumference is positively associated with body mass index and neck circumference among adolescents in Bade and shows potential as a complementary anthropometric measure in school-based nutritional screening.

Key Words: wrist circumference, body mass index, neck circumference, adolescents, anthropometry