Mexican anthropometric percentiles for ages 10-18

To elaborate Mexican growth charts based on international methodology.

Data were obtained from the Mexican National Health Survey. The survey was stratified and probabilistic representative of all the country.

Nationwide open population living in urban and rural areas.

Boys (8545) and girls (9983) from 10 to 18 years participating in the survey.

Age, weight and height were recorded. Empirical percentiles were calculated and smoothed. Smoothed curves were approximated using least-mean square estimation.

Tables and figures for percentile values of weight, height and body mass index (BMI) for age, as well as percentile values of weight and BMI for height for both genders are presented. Regarding 50th BMI for age percentiles, Mexicans had higher levels than the Americans in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention growth charts; Mexicans were lower but had similar weights than the Americans. Owing to the high BMI, the percentile corresponding to an overweight level (25 kg/m(2)) at 18 years was 74.5 in boys and 72.5 in girls, whereas obesity level (30 kg/m(2)) at 18 years was 97.3 and 97.4 in boys and girls, respectively.

The present growth charts are snapshots of a Mexican population. Because of the high median BMI compared to US and World Health Organization standards, we must be cautious in establishing an upper normal cutoff for clinical normality, not merely selecting the 85th and 95th percentiles as equivalents of overweight and obesity, respectively. Therefore, we proposed percentiles 74.5 in boys and 72.5 in girls as the action points of overweight as they are the percentiles corresponding to BMI 25 kg/m(2) at 18 years.

The survey was supported by the Mexican Minister of Health. Statistical analyses were sponsored by Dr Del-Rio-Navarro.