Objectives:
to compare the nutritional status of girls aged between nine and seventeen years in the city of Cascavel (in the Brazilian State of Paraná) according to three body mass index (BMI) references.
Methods:
a cross-sectional study was conducted with 2759 girls. Weight and height were measured to obtain the BMI and the sexual maturity and socioeconomic status of the girls evaluated. Nutritional status was classified using the BMI cut-off points proposed by Conde & Monteiro, the WHO, and the CDC.
Results:
the frequencies for different nutritional states did not differ significantly when the same BMI reference was used according to age, socioeconomic status or type of school attended. In terms of sexual maturity, only the WHO reference WHO produced higher levels of obesity and overweight for girls with Stage 5 breasts. However, when the three references were compared with one another, the CDC produced significantly lower frequencies for overweight and obesity by age group, level of sexual maturity, socioeconomic status and type of school. All three references were in agreement, this was greater between Conde & Monteiro, and the WHO.
Conclusions:
the CDC reference identified a smaller percentage of overweight and obese girls. The references proposed by Conde & Monteiro and the WHO produced similar results.
Nutritional status; Body mass index; Obesity; Social class; Sexual maturation