ABSTRACT
To make an initial approach to the current nutritional situation of the Spanish infant population, we carried out an anthropometric study of the children from 6 to 15 years of age in two schools in Fuenlabrada (Madrid) in a middle to lower class social environment. A total of 1,026 children were studied, to determine weight, height, tricipital fold and arm circumference. These parameters were used to calculate the weight/height ratio (w/h) and the muscular circumference of the arm. All these parameters were tabulated in percentile terms for comparison. The sample was divided into groups according to sex and to age (under 9, 9 to 12 and over 12). We found an overall w/h ratio of 108.8 +/- 17.4, more than the theoretical 100% (p < 0.001); 20.6% of the children over 120%. The Tricipital Fold (TFp) percentile was 62.5 +/- 27, with no differences according to age or sex. The percentile for arm muscular circumference (AMCp) was 48.8 +/- 27 for girls and 41.6 +/- 28 for boys (p < 0.001). Finally, we found a positive and significant correlation (p < 0.05) between w/h and AMCp (r = 0.51) and between w/h and TFp (r = 0.57). We conclude that the population studied is significantly overweight, confirming previous studies. Girls showed better nutritional parameters than the boys, apparently less nutritionally affected by the middle to low social environment. Finally, the w/h ratio, as an isolated parameter, is a good overall index of the nutritional state of children.
