RESUMEN
The waist-to-stature ratio [WSR] is newly developed index, proposed to be of greater value as a simple anthropometric indicator, for predicting abdominal obesity and related cardiovascular co-morbidities in adults and children. This study examined age and gender differences in waist-to-stature [WSR] as measure of centripetal fat patterning in a sample of children in Pretoria, South Africa. A cross-sectional study of 1136 schoolchildren [548 boys and 588 girls] aged 9-13 [11.2 +/- 1.3] years were studied. Anthropometric measurements included body mass, stature and waist circumference. WSR was calculated by dividing waist circumference [in cm] by stature [in cm]. Data were analysed using means and standard deviation. The parametric t-test was applied to examine sexual dimorphism in fat patterning among the children. The proportion of children with a WSR /= 0.5 was 47 [8.6%], while girls were 108 [18.4%]. The prevalence of central obesity [WSR >/= 0.5] was found at all age and sex categories with the highest prevalence rate found at age 13 in both sexes. The fact that WSR >/= 0.5 [13.6%] was found in these children, even among the youngest, is a cause for concern since obesity-related problems are likely to be present among the children. The need to design and implement appropriate intervention strategies at school and community levels is evident