Waist Circumference Percentile Values of a Sample of Mexican Children Compared to Mexican American and Spanish References

Abstract

Waist circumference (WC) predicts adiposity and risk of metabolic syndrome in children as well as in adults. Studies demonstrate that age, sex, gender and ethnic background have to be considered to establish reference values (Zimmet,2007; Fernández,2004; Serra,2002)ObjectiveTo obtain percentile values from waist circumference measurements of 2023 Mexican children aged 4 to 11 years and compare them with those of Mexican‐american and Spanish referencesMethodologyprevious informed consent and standardization of anthropometric technique, WC was measured in a sample of 2023 children from 4 to 11 years of age in their school environment in Queretaro, Mexico. Measurements were performed with a Rosscraft Tape to the 0.1cm in the middle point between iliac and costal bones. The average of three measurements was calculated. After a WC frequency analysis by age and sex, 10 to 90th Percentile values were calculated and compared to two different reference population values (NHANES III Mexican American children 2‐18 years old and Enkid reference from Spanish population aged 2 to 25 years), using a kappa test and SPSS,V18.ResultsMexican children WC 10,25,50,75 and 90th percentile values, were obtained by age and sex. WC 90th percentile has been suggested as a cut off value to predict metabolic risk in children. For 10 year old Mexican girls it was above the 80cms cut off point of adult Mexican women. A moderate association (Kappa 0.477 p<0.001) and a weak association (kappa .387 p<0.001) was found with Mexican American and Spanish references respectively.ConclusionWC percentile values correlate better between Mexican and Mexican American children than with the Spanish referenceResearch grant FOMIX‐CONACYT‐QRO2011C02‐175220