title: Height, weight, body composition, and waist circumference references for 7- to 17-year-old children from rural Portugal.
abstract: The purpose of this study was (1) to develop references of height, weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and body fat for rural Portuguese children and adolescents and (2) to compare these results with other international references. The sample comprised 3094 children and adolescents aged 7-17 years from Vouzela, a central region in Portugal. Height, weight, BMI, waist circumference and body fat were measured. Centile curves were constructed using the LMS method. The Vouzela sample showed similar height median values compared to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) percentile curves but greater values for weight and BMI. Percent body fat 50th percentile was greater in Vouzela children and adolescents compared to their international peers, except for boys aged 8-12 years. Boys' waist circumference median values were similar to those from the USA, whilst girls were similar until 12 years of age, after which the differences increased with age. The percentile curves constructed provide population specific references for growth and body composition of children and adolescents from rural Portugal. It is expected that they will be a useful tool for clinical and public health settings in rural Portugal.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Technology - Paraná, Curitiba, 80230901, Brazil; Foundation, Ministry of Education of Brazil, Brasília, DF 70040-020, Brazil. Electronic address: raquelchaves@utfpr.edu.br.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chaves
authors.affiliation: College of Kinesiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon S7N 5B2, Saskatchewan, Canada.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baxter-Jones
authors.affiliation: Foundation, Ministry of Education of Brazil, Brasília, DF 70040-020, Brazil; CIFI(2)D, Faculty of Sport, University of Porto, Porto, 4200-450, Portugal.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.affiliation: CIFI(2)D, Faculty of Sport, University of Porto, Porto, 4200-450, Portugal.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: CIFI(2)D, Faculty of Sport, University of Porto, Porto, 4200-450, Portugal.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maia
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D041923:Adolescent Development; D001823:Body Composition; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D057238:Growth Charts; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011174:Portugal; D012016:Reference Values; D012424:Rural Population; D014481:United States; D055105:Waist Circumference; D014944:World Health Organization