Predictive equations for stature in the elderly: a study in three Latin American cities.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to develop predictive equations based on anthropometric data to estimate stature in people 60 years and older in Latin America.


METHODS
Population-based cross-sectional study in three Latin American cities.


METHODS
Sample sizes were n=1657 (Sao Paulo, Brazil), n=1004 (Santiago, Chile) and n=995 (Mexico City, Mexico).


METHODS
The prediction equations were fitted by stepwise linear regression analysis. For each country and sex, samples were randomly split into two sub-samples (training and validation sub-samples) using the cross-validation method.


RESULTS
Stepwise regression analysis in the training sample revealed that only knee-height and age had a significant effect on the prediction of height. The values of the shrinkage statistic were below 0.1 indicating the reliability of the prediction equations. The regression equations had standard errors of estimate ranging from 3.3 cm (Chile), 3.6 cm (Brazil) and 4.0 cm (Mexico) for women, and 3.7 cm (Mexico and Chile) and 3.8 cm (Brazil) for men.


CONCLUSIONS
Sex-specific stature prediction equations based on knee-height and age were obtained from large representative samples from selected cities of Latin America.
Lera
Lydia
L
Public Health Nutrition Unit, Chronic Diseases and Genetic Epidemiology Research Laboratory, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology (INTA), University of Chile, Casilla 138-11, Santiago, Chile. llera@inta.cl
Luis Santos
José
J
García
Carola
C
Arroyo
Patricia
P
Albala
Cecilia
C
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001837:Body Weights and Measures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D007843:Latin America; D016014:Linear Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012737:Sex Factors; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*