Abstract

BENJUMEA R, María V; MOLINA DE S, Dora I; ARBELAEZ B, Patricia E  and  AGUDELO G, Luz M. Waist circumference in children aged 1 to 16 years from Manizales. Rev. Col. Cardiol. [online]. 2008, vol.15, n.1, pp.23-34. ISSN 0120-5633.

INTRODUCTION: waist circumference in adults and children as intra-abdominal fat mass indicator is correlated in a more direct way with the risk of cardiovascular disease and with an atherogenic lipid profile than obesity, determined by the body mass index. OBJECTIVE: characterize waist circumference in school children from the Manizales Nutrition Program. MATERIALS AND METHODS: descriptive study. COHORT STUDY: 10720 children from both genders of Manizales public urban and rural institutions. VARIABLES AND ANALYSIS: age, gender, height, weight and waist circumference. Mean waist measures were compared in each gender with different classification of height (Mann Whitney U), low and high body mass index proportions and mean waist circumference in children with low body mass index and normal (Mann Whitney U). Correlation with waist was estimated separate by gender. All value of p<0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: in most age groups girl’s waist was inferior to that of boys. Correlation between waist and weight, height, body mass index and age was direct and statistically significant (p=0.000). CONCLUSIONS: waist was significant smaller (p=0.000000) between the ones who had growth detention or delay and in those with low body mass index (p=0.000). Obesity prevalence in the waist (>P₉₀) was significant higher in both genders (p=0.020 boys; p=0.045 girls) than with body mass index (>P₉₅).

Keywords : waist circumference; body mass index; school and preschool children; adolescents; abdominal fat; obesity; Colombia.

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