Physical growth of children and adolescents at moderate altitudes

Abstract

Physical growth assessments are useful for monitoring the nutritional status and for gauging inequalities in human development among different populations. The objectives of this research were a) to compare variables of weight, height, and Body Mass Index (BMI) with the international reference for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); b) to verify if BMI and/or Ponderal Index (PI) are applicable to children and adolescents living at moderate altitudes; and c) to propose percentiles to classify physical growth. This study included 3136 children and adolescents living at moderate altitude (2320 m). Weight and height were assessed. BMI and PI were calculated. In this