Centile values for anthropometric variables in Colombian adolescents

Background and objective: Reference data for anthropometric parameters are not available for adolescents in Cali (Colombia). This study aimed to develop representative age- and sex-specific percentiles for anthropometric indicators [fat percentage, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference] in urban adolescents aged 10-16 years in Cali. Methods: The sample (n=1,773) consisted of 865 boys and 908 girls from the descriptive, cross-sectional population-based IFRECNTEC study (Identification of Risk Factors for Non-communicable Chronic Diseases in Adulthood in a Population aged 6 to 18 years old attending School in the Municipality of Cali, Colombia). Data on anthropometric variables were recorded. Smoothed age- and sex- specific 5^th, 25^th, 50^th, 75^th, 90^th and 95^th centiles were derived using the least mean squares (LMS) regression method. Results: In most ages, anthropometric indicators were higher for girls than for boys. The BMI p50 ranged from 16.8 to 19.9kg/m² in boys and from 16.7 to 21.1kg/m² in girls. Fat percentage in boys in the p50 varied from ≈12% at the ages of 10 and 11 years to ≈13% at the age of 16 years; for girls, these percentages varied from ≈13% in the earliest ages to ≈16% in older ages. Waist circumference was lower in girls than in boys in most ages. Conclusion: The results of this study could be used to identify adolescents with an elevated risk of developing obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension and cardiovascular disorders in adulthood, to plan and implement preventive policies, and to study temporal trends. The introduction of centile values will help to classify adolescents from Cali and compare their anthropometric indicators with those of a reference population.