Physical growth of schoolchildren from the Jequitinhonha Valley, Minas Gerais, Brazil: Comparison with the CDC-2000 reference using the LMS method

Objective: To analyse the physical growth of a representative school population sample from the Jequitinhonha Valley, Minas Gerais, Brazil, in comparison with the reference proposed by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC-2000). Methods: The sample was composed of 5100 individuals (2730 girls and 2370 boys), aged 6-18 years. Body weight-for-age and height-for-age percentiles were obtained using the LMS method. Statistical and graphical comparisons were made with the corresponding percentiles of the CDC-2000 reference, estimated using the same method. Results: Overall, the calculated values of the L (asymmetry) and the S (variability) parameters were quite similar to the CDC-2000 reference values. However, M(median) was substantially different from the reference used in the study, mainly in schoolchildren over 12-13 years of age of both genders. The magnitude of the deficits of height-for-age and body weight-for-age observed in the schoolchildren from the Jequitinhonha Valley, Minas Gerais, Brazil, varied from 4 to 6 cm and from 3 to 6 kg, respectively. Conclusion: The body weight-for-age and height-for-age percentiles of schoolchildren population in the Jequitinhonha Valley, Minas Gerais, Brazil differed substantially from those referenced

Health-related physical fitness is associated with selected sociodemographic and behavioral factors in brazilian school children

This study investigated the association between sociodemographic and behavioral factors and health standards based on physical fitness component scores in a sample of Brazilian schoolchildren. Methods: A sample of 1457 girls and 1392 boys aged 6 to 18 years performed a test battery of 5 items: 1) sit-and-reach, 2) curl-up, 3) trunk-lift, 4) push-up, and 5) progressive endurance run (PACER). The cut-off scores for gender and age suggested by the FitnessGram were adopted. Results: The findings showed that the sociodemographic and behavioral factors significantly associated with the ability of schoolchildren of meeting the health standards varied according to the fitness test. In the 5 tests used girls presented lower chance of meeting the health standards. Age and socioeconomic class were negatively associated with the performance in all physical tests. Schoolchildren aged ≤ 9 years or from families of lowest socioeconomic class presented approximately twice the chance of meeting the health standards than those aged ≥ 15 years and from more privileged families, specifically in the push-up (OR = 2.40; 95% CI 2.01–2.82) and PACER (OR = 2.18; 95% CI 1.84–2.54) tests. Conclusions: Interventions to promote health-related physical fitness should not only consider gender and age of schoolchildren, but also selected sociodemographic and behavioral factors, especially socioeconomic class and leisure activities