Alcibíades Bustamante1, Carla Santos2, Sara Pereira2,3, Duarte Freitas4,5, Peter T Katzmarzyk6, José Maia2. 1. School of Physical Education and Sports, National University of Education Enrique Guzmán y Valle, Lima, Peru. 2. CIFI2D, Faculty of Sport, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal. 3. CIDEFES, Centro de Investigação em Desporto, Educação Física e Exercício e Saúde, Universidade Lusófona, Lisbon, Portugal. 4. Department of Physical Education and Sport, University of Madeira, Funchal, Portugal. 5. Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, UK. 6. Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to (1) investigate differences in weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference (WC) among Peruvian children and adolescents living in three areas located at different altitudes; (2) compare age- and sex-specific height, weight, and BMI within each site with US reference data. METHODS: We sampled 8753 subjects (4130 boys), aged 4 to 17 years from sea level, rainforest, and high-altitude. Height, weight, and WC were measured and BMI was calculated. Analysis of variance was used to compare variables across geographic regions, and the Hoff and Blackburn procedure was used to compare the Peruvian results with US reference data. RESULTS: Participants living at sea level were taller, heavier, had greater BMI and WC relative to those living at high-altitude and in the rainforest. Peruvian schoolchildren of both sexes from the three geographical areas were shorter and lighter than their American peers. Boys and girls living in the rainforest and at high-altitude had lower BMI, whereas WC values of American schoolchildren are higher than those of the Peruvian children by age and gender. CONCLUSIONS: Peruvians living at different altitudes differ in their growth indicators (height, weight, BMI, and WC), with significant differences between those living at sea level relative to their peers from other regions. Further, Peruvian schoolchildren of both sexes from the three geographical areas significantly differ from their US counterparts.
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to (1) investigate differences in weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference (WC) among Peruvian children and adolescents living in three areas located at different altitudes; (2) compare age- and sex-specific height, weight, and BMI within each site with US reference data. METHODS: We sampled 8753 subjects (4130 boys), aged 4 to 17 years from sea level, rainforest, and high-altitude. Height, weight, and WC were measured and BMI was calculated. Analysis of variance was used to compare variables across geographic regions, and the Hoff and Blackburn procedure was used to compare the Peruvian results with US reference data. RESULTS: Participants living at sea level were taller, heavier, had greater BMI and WC relative to those living at high-altitude and in the rainforest. Peruvian schoolchildren of both sexes from the three geographical areas were shorter and lighter than their American peers. Boys and girls living in the rainforest and at high-altitude had lower BMI, whereas WC values of American schoolchildren are higher than those of the Peruvian children by age and gender. CONCLUSIONS: Peruvians living at different altitudes differ in their growth indicators (height, weight, BMI, and WC), with significant differences between those living at sea level relative to their peers from other regions. Further, Peruvian schoolchildren of both sexes from the three geographical areas significantly differ from their US counterparts.
Authors: Mecca E Burris; Esperanza Caceres; Emily M Chester; Kathryn A Hicks; Thomas W McDade; Lynn Sikkink; Hilde Spielvogel; Jonathan Thornburg; Virginia J Vitzthum Journal: Evol Med Public Health Date: 2022-08-22