Study of the anthropometric characteristics of schoolchildren aged 7 to 17 – A mixed longitudinal and cross-section way

Abstract

The objective of the present study, employing a mixed longitudinal and cross-sectional approach, was to analyze by sex the anthropometric characteristics (body mass, stature, skinfolds and body fat percentage) of 1,172 schoolchildren, aged 7 to 17 years, from the Colégio de Aplicação, run by the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (CA/UFSC). The mixed longitudinal study analyzed 161 boys and 137 girls. Basic statistical procedures were applied, including one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Scheffé’s procedures, to a level of significance of p < 0.05 and Student’s t test. The cross-sectional study included 450 boys and 424 girls. Data were analyzed using basic statistics and percentile tables were constructed. Analysis of the results allowed for the conclusion that the schoolchildren’s body mass and stature increased with age in both sexes, and, from 13 years on, boys exhibited greater values than girls. At all ages there was at least one case of obesity. Comparing our cross-sectional study with data from the World Health Organization and from the National Institute of Food and Nutrition (Brazil), it will be observed that the CA/UFSC schoolchildren have significantly higher values for all variables at all ages.