title: Weight and height percentiles calculated by the LMS method in Argentinean schoolchildren. A comparative references study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Argentinean population is characterized by ethnic, cultural and socio-economic diversity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To calculate the percentiles of weight-for-age (W/A) and height-for-age (H/A) of schoolchildren from Argentina employing the LMS method; and to compare the obtained percentiles with those of the international and national references.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anthropometric data of 18 698 students (8672 girls and 10 026 boys) of 3-13 years old were collected (2003-2008) from Buenos Aires, Catamarca, Chubut, Jujuy, La Pampa and Mendoza. Percentiles of W/A and H/A were obtained with the LMS method. Statistical and graphical comparisons were established with the WHO (international reference) and with that published by the Argentinean Paediatric Society (national reference).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Differences in W/A and H/A, regarding the references, were negative and greater at the highest percentiles and in most of the age groups. On average, the differences were greater for boys than girls and for national than international references.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The distribution of weight and height of schoolchildren, coming from most regions of the country, differs from those of national and international references. It should be advisable to establish a new national reference based on internationally recognized methodological criteria that adequately reflect the biological and cultural diversity of the Argentinean populations.
authors.affiliation: a Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo .|b Instituto de Genética Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias , Universidad Nacional de La Plata , La Plata , Buenos Aires , Argentina .
authors.forename: Evelia E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Oyhenart
authors.affiliation: c Centro de Estudios de Antropología Biológica. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales , Universidad Nacional de Catamarca , San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca, Catamarca , Argentina .
authors.forename: Delia B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Lomaglio
authors.affiliation: d Centro Nacional Patagónico , Puerto Madryn, Chubut , Argentina .
authors.forename: Silvia L V
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Dahinten
authors.affiliation: e Instituto de Biología de la Altura , Universidad Nacional de Jujuy , San Salvador de Jujuy, Jujuy , Argentina .
authors.forename: Ignacio F
authors.initials: IF
authors.lastname: Bejarano
authors.affiliation: f Grupo de Investigación en Epidemiología Nutricional, Departamento de Zoología y Antropología Física, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas , Universidad Complutense de Madrid , Madrid , España .
authors.forename: Ángel
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Herráez
authors.affiliation: b Instituto de Genética Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias , Universidad Nacional de La Plata , La Plata , Buenos Aires , Argentina .
authors.forename: María F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Cesani
authors.affiliation: b Instituto de Genética Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias , Universidad Nacional de La Plata , La Plata , Buenos Aires , Argentina .|g Facultad de Filosofía y Letras , Universidad de Buenos Aires , Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires , Argentina , and.
authors.forename: María F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.affiliation: a Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo .
authors.forename: María A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Luis
authors.affiliation: a Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo .|b Instituto de Genética Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias , Universidad Nacional de La Plata , La Plata , Buenos Aires , Argentina .
authors.forename: Fabián A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Quintero
authors.affiliation: e Instituto de Biología de la Altura , Universidad Nacional de Jujuy , San Salvador de Jujuy, Jujuy , Argentina .
authors.forename: Emma L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Alfaro
authors.affiliation: h Instituto de Desarrollo e Investigaciones Pediátricas, Hospital de Niños Sor María Ludovica , La Plata , Buenos Aires , Argentina.
authors.forename: Alicia B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Orden
authors.affiliation: b Instituto de Genética Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias , Universidad Nacional de La Plata , La Plata , Buenos Aires , Argentina .
authors.forename: María L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Bergel Sanchis
authors.affiliation: f Grupo de Investigación en Epidemiología Nutricional, Departamento de Zoología y Antropología Física, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas , Universidad Complutense de Madrid , Madrid , España .
authors.forename: Marisa González-Montero
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: de Espinosa
authors.affiliation: b Instituto de Genética Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias , Universidad Nacional de La Plata , La Plata , Buenos Aires , Argentina .
authors.forename: Mariela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garraza
authors.affiliation: b Instituto de Genética Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias , Universidad Nacional de La Plata , La Plata , Buenos Aires , Argentina .
authors.forename: María E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Luna
authors.affiliation: a Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo .
authors.forename: Luis M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Forte
authors.affiliation: f Grupo de Investigación en Epidemiología Nutricional, Departamento de Zoología y Antropología Física, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas , Universidad Complutense de Madrid , Madrid , España .
authors.forename: María S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Mesa
authors.affiliation: f Grupo de Investigación en Epidemiología Nutricional, Departamento de Zoología y Antropología Física, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas , Universidad Complutense de Madrid , Madrid , España .
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moreno Romero
authors.affiliation: f Grupo de Investigación en Epidemiología Nutricional, Departamento de Zoología y Antropología Física, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas , Universidad Complutense de Madrid , Madrid , España .
authors.forename: Noemí
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: López-Ejeda
authors.affiliation: e Instituto de Biología de la Altura , Universidad Nacional de Jujuy , San Salvador de Jujuy, Jujuy , Argentina .
authors.forename: José E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Dipierri
authors.affiliation: f Grupo de Investigación en Epidemiología Nutricional, Departamento de Zoología y Antropología Física, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas , Universidad Complutense de Madrid , Madrid , España .
authors.forename: María D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Marrodán
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001118:Argentina; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014944:World Health Organization
keywords: Argentinean reference; WHO reference; children growth