Abstract

CORREDERA GUERRA, Roberto Francisco et al. Weight and height significance related to age. Study carried out in school children from Cerro municipality. Rev Cubana Med Gen Integr [online]. 2009, vol.25, n.3. ISSN 0864-2125.

INTRODUCTION: child longitudinal growing is a complex biological process as a result of multiple interactions between endogenous and exogenous factors. Undoubtedly, is result of genetic and environmental factors combination affecting the first ages of life, and appearing in a continuous and dynamic way from conception to adulthood. AIMS: to characterize the growing of school children aged between 5 and 11 from the "Braulio Coroneaux" elementary school, Cerro municipality. We tried to determine weight and height values by sex and age group, as well as to identify percentile scales for weight and height corresponding to each study age group. METHODS: a cross-sectional and descriptive study was carried out in supposedly health children from December 1, 2006 to February 28, 2007. Universe included 358 children but only 351 were studied. The anthropometric dimensions used were: weight and height identified according the criteria of each dimension. RESULTS: values for age-weight and height showed higher averages different to those reported by children of the same sex and age according to Cuban growing and development graphs. In male sex there was predominance of age-weight and height values in both age groups. CONCLUSIONS: more than 50 % of sample in both age groups corresponded with a height within the normal limits. In both groups and in both sexes, percentile scales identified in reference population were directed to higher percentiles.

Keywords : Anthropometric measures; school-age children.

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