Percentiles de circunferencia de cintura en escolares de Bogotá (Colombia): Estudio FUPRECOL

Objective This study was intended to establish the percentile distribution of waist circumference in schoolchildren from Bogota, Colombia, participating in the FUPRECOL Study. Methods A cross-sectional study conducted in 3,005 children and 2,916 adolescents aged 9 to 17.9 years. Height, weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, and self-assessed sexual maturity status were recorded. Percentiles (3^rd, 10^th, 25^th, 50^th, 75^th, 90^th, and 97^th) and smoothed sex- and age-specific curves were calculated, and the waist circumference values found were compared to international references from other ethnic populations. Results Fifty-seven percent of the overall population (n = 5,921) were females (mean age, 12.7 ± 2.3 years). In most age groups, waist circumference was greater in boys as compared to girls. The increase between the 50^th and 97^th percentiles by age was 15.7 cm in boys aged 9 to 9.9 years and 16.0 cm in girls aged 11-11.9 years. Comparison of our study results, by age group and sex, to international references showed that our 50^th percentile was lower than reported in Peru and the UK except for studies in India, Venezuela (Merida), US, and Spain was higher. Conclusions Age- and sex-specific percentiles of waist circumference obtained from children and adolescents from Bogota, Colombia, are reported. They may be used as a reference both for nutritional assessment and for predicting cardiovascular risks at early ages.