[Nutritional status and body composition of two South American native populations -- Alto Xingu and Ikpeng].
OBJECTIVE
To assess the nutritional and body composition of two Brazilian indigenous populations by comparing their nutritional status.


METHODS
95 children from Alto Xingu and 69 from Ikpeng were evaluated, ages ranged from 24 to 117 months. The study was performed in the Xingu Indigenous Park. Data collected were: age, weight, height, skin folds, arm circumference, resistance and reactance. The z-scores were calculated and classified according to the parameters defined by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS 2000). Shortness was defined as length or stature below -2, underweight as body mass index below -2, and overweight as body mass index above 2.


RESULTS
Among children from Alto Xingu, the prevalence of shortness was 8.4%, while among Ikpengs the prevalence was 37.7% (p < 0.001). Underweight was diagnosed in 12.5% of Ikpeng s children. Values of fat-free mass were greater for children from Alto Xingu and no case of obesity was found.


CONCLUSIONS
In this study, Ikpeng's children showed higher incidences of short stature and low weight than the Altoxingu's children. Data regarding body composition have greater values among children from Alto Xingu, thus we conclude that nutritional status among children from Alto Xingu is better than the one found among the Ikpeng's children.
Fagundes
Ulysses
U
Universidade Federal de São Paulo-Escola Paulista de Medicina (UNIFESP-EPM), São Paulo, SP.
Kopelman
Benjamin
B
Oliva
Carlos Alberto Garcia
CA
Baruzzi
Roberto Geraldo
RG
Fagundes-Neto
Ulysses
U
D000886:Anthropometry; D001823:Body Composition; D001824:Body Constitution; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007199:Indians, South American / Q000208:ethnology*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012016:Reference Values