[The prevalence of juvenile obesity in 2 rural populations. An anthropometric study]

To find the prevalence of obesity in the population under study. To prepare tables containing all the pertinent anthropometric variables.

A descriptive, cross-sectional and prospective study of the entire population studied (no sampling).

The study was run in two places, Las Navas de la Concepción (NC) and EI Pedroso (EP), attended by different professionals from the same health district.

523 children between 3 and 13 from two rural towns, from all social and economic backgrounds.

Anthropometric data of these children were taken, and the variables studied: age, sex, height, weight, waist, hip, tricipital cutaneous fold (TCF) and circumference of the arm. Quetelet's body mass index (BMI), the waist-hip index and the muscular circumference of the arm were also calculated. The BMI and TCF were summarised in percentile tables, taking as diagnostic criteria of obesity percentile 90 or above on the BMI, or percentile 85 or above on the TCF. Values on the BMI were 22.6% (NC) and 23.5% (EP); and on the TCF, 30.3% (NC) and 37.4% (EP).

There was 5 times greater child obesity than in previous Spanish studies. Mean values of the variables was lightly higher than in other studies. The waist-hip index and the hip measurement were associated with sex. There is a need to perform valid updated studies throughout the country.