Anthropometry of height, weight, arm, wrist, abdominal circumference and body mass index, for Bolivian Adolescents 12 to 18 years - Bolivian adolescent percentile values from the MESA study

Anthropometry is important as clinical tool for individual follow-up as well as for planning and health policy-making at population level. Recent references of Bolivian Adolescents are not available. The aim of this cross sectional study was to provide age and sex specific centile values and charts of Body Mass Index, height, weight, arm, wrist and abdominal circumference from Bolivian Adolescents. Data from the MEtabolic Syndrome in Adolescents (MESA) study was used. Thirty-two Bolivian clusters from urban and rural areas were selected randomly considering population proportions, 3445 school going adolescents, 12 to 18 y, 45% males; 55% females underwent anthropometric evaluation by trained personnel using standardized protocols for all interviews and examinations. Weight, height, wrist, arm and abdominal circumference data were collected. Body Mass Index was calculated. Smoothed age- and gender specific 3(rd), 5(th), 10(th), 25(th), 50(th) 75(th), 85(th), 90(th), 95(th) and 97(th) Bolivian adolescent percentiles(BAP) and Charts(BAC) where derived using LMS regression. Percentile-based reference data for the antropometrics of for Bolivian Adolescents are presented for the first time.243304311Prince Leopold Institute of Tropical MedicineNutrition Third Worl

Iron supplementation of iron-replete Indonesian infants is associated with reduced weight-for-age.

BACKGROUND: General iron supplementation to prevent iron deficiency in infants who are iron sufficient when starting supplementation may adversely affect their health. OBJECTIVE: A secondary analysis to explore the effect of iron supplementation on iron-replete (IR; Hb > or =113 g/L and S-ferritin > or =33 microg/L) or non-iron-replete 6-month-old Indonesian infants participating in a large, randomized trial on iron and zinc supplementation. RESULTS: Among the iron-supplemented IR (Fe-IR, n = 80) infants S-ferritin was, compared to non-iron-supplemented (NS) IR infants (NS-IR, n = 74), significantly higher (47.5 vs. 20.7 microg/L, p = 0.04), and S-zinc significantly lower (9.7 vs. 10.5 micromol/L, p = 0.04). Haemoglobin concentration (Hb) did not differ between the Fe-IR and NS-IR groups. Change in weight-for-age z-score (WAZ) from 6 to 12 months and mean WAZ at 12 months was lower in the Fe-IR group compared to the NS-IR group (-1.45 vs. -1.03, p < 0.001 and -1.97 vs. -1.60, p < 0.001, respectively). There was no difference in morbidity between groups. Iron supplementation of non-iron-replete infants increased Hb and S-ferritin, but did not affect S-zinc or anthropometrical indices. CONCLUSION: In our study, iron supplementation of IR infants affected WAZ adversely, whereas iron supplementation to non-iron-replete infants did not affect growth. These results support a cautious approach to iron supplementation of IR infants

Fatores determinantes do crescimento infantil Determinant factors of infant growth

Esta revisão enfoca os fatores que interferem no crescimento de crianças nos primeiros anos de vida. Foram utilizadas informações de artigos publicados em revistas científicas, teses e publicações de organizações internacionais. O crescimento infantil se constitui em um dos melhores indicadores de saúde da criança e o retardo estatural representa atualmente, a característica antropométrica mais representativa do quadro epidemiológico da desnutrição no Brasil. Ressaltando a importância do fator genético no crescimento, a revisão abrange com maior ênfase a atuação dos fatores extrínsecos, sabendo-se que o processo de crescimento resulta da interação entre a carga genética e os fatores do meio ambiente, os quais premitirão a maior ou menor expressão do potencial genético. Face a comprovada natureza multicausal do crescimento infantil, vários estudos têm sido desenvolvidos, buscando relacionar variáveis biológicas, socioeconômicas, maternas, ambientais, culturais, demográficas, nutricionais, entre outras, com a sua etiologia, seu desenvolvimento e sua manutenção. A revisão apresentada reforça o interesse em investigações sobre o crescimento na primeira infância que devem ser permanentes, devido, principalmente, às repercussões a longo prazo sobre a saúde infantil.<br>This review focuses on factors interfering with growth during the first years of life. Information was collected from articles published in indexed scientific journals, theses, technical books and publications of international organizations. Infant growth is one of the best health indicators, and linear growth retardation is currently the most representative anthropometric characteristic of child nutrition epidemiology in Brazil. The review indicates the value of genetics in growth, focusing, however on the influence of the extrinsic factors. Growth process results from interaction between genetic and environmental factors, determining variation in genetic potential manifestations. Because of the complex nature of infant growth, several studies have been developed aiming at relating biological, socio-economic, maternal, environmental, cultural, demographic and nutritional determinants among others, with the etiology, development and maintenance of growth. This review reinforces the value of permanent investigation on infant growth, especially concerning the long term impact on infant health