From a total of 203 adult women interviewed, 175 subjects aged 16 to 73 years were evaluated for the anthropometrics variables: weight, height, triceps skinfold thickness, mid-upper arm circumference, arm muscle circumference and body mass index (BMI). Of these women, 84,0% (147) were living in the urban area and 16,0% (28) in the rural area. Observing the mean values for non-lactating women in the urban area were: weight 54,1 kg, height 149,0 cm, BMI 24,4 kg/m², triceps skinfold thickness 19,2 mm, arm circumference 27,5 cm, arm muscle circumference 21,5 cm. For women in the rural area the values were: weight 50,4 kg, height 148,6 cm, BMI 23,0 kg/cm², triceps skinfold thickness 13,8 mm, arm circumference 26,4 cm, arm muscle circumference 22,1 cm. There was a significant difference in the average triceps skinfold thickness values between women in the rural area and women in the urban area (p<0,05). In the urban area women a 6,5% prevalence of low weight was found, a 28,2% prevalence of overweight and a 11,3% prevalence of obesity. In the rural area women low weight and obesity were found in 4%, and overweight in 16%. In this study, most women were at the upper limit of normality for BMI, with the indices of fat reserves being highest in the women of the urban area.
anthropometry; women; obesity
