Valoración nutricional de escolares de tres países iberoamericanos: Análisis comparativo de las referencias propuestas por el International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) y la Organización Mundial de la Salud Nutritional valuation of schoolchildren from three Ibero-American countries: / Nutritional valuation of schoolchildren from three Ibero-American countries: A comparative analysis of the references proposed by International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) and World Health Organization (WHO)

Introducción: El índice de masa corporal (IMC) resulta un indicador útil para valorar la condición nutricional en la infancia y adolescencia. Si bien no existe consenso respecto a los valores o puntos de corte de IMC que deben utilizarse para la diagnosis del sobrepeso, la obesidad o la insuficiencia ponderal, las referencias propuestas por la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) y la International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) son las más aceptadas. No obstante, existen discrepancias importantes en los resultados obtenidos en función de una u otra referencia. Objetivo: Analizar y comparar la condición nutricional de una muestra internacional a partir del IMC, mediante la aplicación simultánea de las referencias recomendadas por la IOTF y la OMS. Métodos: Se calculó el IMC de 1289 escolares de 10 a 13 años de México, Venezuela y España. A cada niño le fue atribuida una categoría nutricional (bajo peso, normopeso, sobrepeso y obesidad) utilizando el criterio de la IOTF (puntos de corte equivalentes a 18,5; 25 y 30 en adultos) y OMS (-1 DE: bajo peso + 1 DE: sobrepeso y +2 DE: obesidad). Las prevalencias de estado nutricional obtenidas por cada criterio fueron comparadas mediante la prueba de Chi-Cuadrado. Resultados: El porcentaje de escolares en cada una de las categorías nutricionales varió significativamente en función de la referencia empleada. La prevalencia de malnutrición por exceso o por defecto fue, en ambos sexos y en los tres países, superior al emplear los parámetros OMS. La referencia OMS evidenció un 10,9% menos de niños normonutridos y un 13,1% más de malnutridos que la IOTF. Discusión: Los resultados de esta investigación permiten inferir que la referencia propuesta por la OMS resulta ser más "preventiva" al momento de identificar individuos malnutridos. Se subraya la importancia de especificar los criterios empleados para la determinación del estado nutricional en los estudios de carácter epidemiológico, así como de contrastar las referencias empleadas para el diagnóstico. Conclusiones: Las referencias OMS para IMC sobrestiman la prevalencia de bajo peso, sobrepeso y obesidad en relación a los puntos de corte propuestos por el IOTF para el diagnóstico de la malnutrición (AU)

Introduction: Body Mass Index (BMI) is a useful tool for assessing nutritional status in childhood and adolescence. Although there is no consensus on BMI values or cutoffs to be used for the diagnosis of overweight, obesity and underweight references proposed by World Health Organization (WHO) and International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) are the most accepted. However, there are significant discrepancies in the results obtained in terms of either reference. Objective: To analyze and compare the nutritional status of an international sample from IMC, by simultaneous application of IOTF and WHO recommended references. Methods: 1289 schoolchildren’s BMI between 10 and 13 years of Mexico, Venezuela and Spain was estimated. Each child was assigned a nutritional category (underweight, normal weight, overweight and obese) using the IOTF criteria (points cut equivalent to 18,5, 25 and 30 in adults) and WHO (-1 SD: low weight +1 DE: overweight and +2 SD: obesity). The prevalence of nutritional status of each criterion was compared using the Chi-square test. Results: The percentage of students in each of the nutritional categories mottled significantly depending on the reference used. The prevalence of excess or defect malnutrition, in both sexes and in all three countries, was exceeded using the WHO parameters. WHO reference showed 10,9% less than well-nourished children and 13,1 % more malnourished than the IOTF. Discussion: The results of this research allow inferring that the reference proposed by WHO appears to be more "protecting" when identifying malnourished individuals. The importance of specifying the criteria for determination of nutritional status in epidemiologic studies, as well as to contrast the references used for diagnosis, is emphasized. Conclusions: The WHO BMI references overestimate the prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity in relation to the cutoff points proposed by the IOTF for diagnosing malnutrition (AU)

Women in transition--menopause and body composition in different populations.

Human biology has provided valuable and applicable points of view to contribute towards human welfare, when it has analyzed changes in the transitional phases of the ontogenetic process. The purpose of this presentation coincides with WHO recommendations to study the modifications suffered by the female body during her stage of reproductive aging in different environments. We study and compared three different groups of women living in the cities of Madrid (Spain), Havana (Cuba) and in Tuxpan, a village in the State of Michoacán (Mexico). Three groups differed with respect to their socio-economic levels, food habits, social organization and culture. We used the same anthropometric techniques, recommended by the IBP, and same tools to assess the women's reproductive life, demography and socio-economic condition. All three groups coincidences regarding the remodelation of their thorax, so after 55 years of age their waist-hip ratio surpassed the cut point of 0.80, associated whit higher risk for chronic cardiovascular disorders. However, examined groups differed, for instance, the rural Mexican women altered their bone density earlier, five years before the urban samples. Next, Mexican women of younger ages maintained high levels of their body mass index above the cut point for overweight.

Trend in menarcheal age in Spain: rural and urban comparison during a recent period.

Menarcheal age of a sample of rural (n = 342) and urban (n = 469) girls with ages ranging from 9 to 16 years from Madrid province was analysed. Results, obtained through the status quo method and probit analysis (age 12.79 SD 1.04 in Madrid city and 12.90 SD 1.03 in rural sample), were compared with data from previous studies carried out in the same area, as well as those from other regions of the Iberian Peninsula. The aim of these comparisons was to establish the variability of menarche in the recent past, considering physical environment, degree of urbanization and socio-economic development. Decline in menarcheal age was detected and, in general, a tendency towards similar means among Spanish populations in the period studied.