Using BMI and Waist Circumference for Diagnosis

Assessment Tools and Diagnostic Tests in children
The selected children are the possibly overweight children who are at risk of developing obesity and the related health complications. This informed by the contemporary high prevalence of childhood obesity due to the lifestyle that children re exposed to early at home and further within the learning institutions, the poor diet with unhealthy foods accompanied by sedentary lifestyle all work to make the life of children at risk.
In the attempt to get the patient information on health condition particularly on obesity, one of the diagnostic tools often used and has proven effective is the BMI using the waist circumference. Waist circumference is used to estimate the body fat in particular the internal fat deposits and hence pick out the likelihood of a child to develop weight-related diseases. The waist circumference is often used together with BMI in order to have accurate information and data for determining the health of the child. BMI uses the height and weight of the individual to determine whether the patient is within the healthy weight range, overweight or is underweight or even obese. It helps also in determining the estimate of the total body fat and the risk of the patient to develop weight-related diseases.
BMI = weight (KGs)/Height (m)2
It is important to note that in children, just like in adults it is more of a health risk for them to carry excess body fats around heir middle than when the fat is on the thighs and hips. The waist circumference hence helps in estimating the visceral fat which are the dangerous internal fats which coat the organs. This method is considered a more accurate predictor of the risk of cardiovascular diseases among children, type 2 diabetes and even metabolic syndrome in other patients (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 2018).
Waist circumference is measured in this manner; the tape measure is placed on the body or not more than one layer of light clothing worn. The tape measure should be placed halfway between the lower rib and the top of the hipbone, roughly in line with the belly button. One should then breath normally and take the measurement with the tape snug and not squeezing the skin. With a waist of 88 cm in men and 102 in men it is high risk range respectively.
This method however has limitations especially in pregnant women and among children who have medical conditions involving the abdomen enlargement and among children and young people this approach is known to be less accurate. This method has also been known to work less among some ethnic groups like the Aborigines, South Asians, Japanese among others. Weight lifters, people with disability, the elderly, high performance athletes and people with eating disorders are also known to not have accurate reading or measurement of the body fat using this approach.
The BMI and waist circumference measurement is considered the most preferred approach and preferred means diagnostic tool since it is non-invasive and easy to use and figure out hence counts as a useful tool among others in determining the weight of a person (Cespedes A., 2017). However, on top of the BMI and the waist circumference, among the children population it will be instrumental for a nurse to probe further for information such as the lifestyle of the child, the physical activities the child often engages in, the type of diet at home and at school that the child eats. These are details that the nurse needs to first have the cross cultural knowledge of the person and the family and for the young one, probably involve the parent so that a figure of authority is involved in the acquisition of the information.

References
Cespedes A., (2017). The Reliability & Validity of BMI. Retrieved June 11, 2018 from https://www.livestrong.com/article/202474-diets-to-lower-the-bmi/
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, (2018). Assessing your Weights and Health Risk. Retrieved June 11, 2018 from https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/risk.htm