title: Secular trends of physical growth and abdominal adiposity of school children and adolescents living at a moderate altitude in Peru.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Identify changes in physical growth and abdominal adiposity at an interval of 14 years in children and adolescents living at a moderate altitude in Peru.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data comes from two cross-sectional studies carried out in the city of Arequipa, Peru, located at a moderate altitude of 2,320 meters. In 2001, 473 males and 482 females were assessed, and in 2015, 432 males and 403 females between 6.0 and 12.9 years old were evaluated. Data were collected in public state schools and measured using the anthropometric variables for weight, height, and waist circumference. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated according to age and sex.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Positive trends for weight were identified for both males and females at all ages (p < .001). For height, significant increases were observed in males for all ages. No significant increases (p > .05) occurred in height for females between the ages of 6 and 8 years. However, commencing at age 9 until 12 years, females showed positive and significant increases (p < .001) in height. In 2015, BMI and waist circumference increased significantly for both sexes at all ages.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Between 2001 and 2015, positive trends in physical growth and abdominal adiposity were identified for children and adolescents living in Arequipa, Peru. These changes may be associated with the rapid economic development in the country.
authors: Department of Physical Activity Sciences, Catholic University of Maule, Talca, Chile.|Faculty of Physical Education, State University of Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.|University Sports Institute, National University of San Agustin, Arequipa, Perú.
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Cossio-Bolaños
authors: Faculty of Physical Education, State University of Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Miguel
authors: M
authors: de Arruda
authors: Biological Research Network for Human Development, Arequipa, Perú.|Pedagogy in Secondary Education in English, Faculty of Educational Sciences, Universidad de Talca (Campus Linares), Chile.
authors: Cynthia Lee
authors: CL
authors: Andruske
authors: Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación, Universidad San Sebastián, Concepción, Chile.
authors: Cristian
authors: C
authors: Luarte-Rocha
authors: Faculty of Physical Education, State University of Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.|Universidad Autonoma de Chile, Chile.
authors: Rossana
authors: R
authors: Gómez-Campos
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity / Q000502:physiology*; D000531:Altitude; D000885:Anthropology, Physical; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology*; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007199:Indians, South American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D010568:Peru / Q000453:epidemiology; D055105:Waist Circumference / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: altitude; height; schoolchildren; waist circumference; weight