Cristián Martínez; Otto Reinike; Héctor Silva; Vanessa Carrasco; Erika Collipal & Carlos Jiménez

The study of Body Mass Index (BMI) is the standard recommended by the WHO for nutritional status according to the technical standard nutritional force in Chile. Anthropometric studies to estimate body composition study the morphology and dimensions. This study describes the nutritional situation and body composition of a sample of municipal schools of the municipality of Padre las Casas. We evaluated 122 adolescents of both sexes, 65 men (53.2%) and 57 women (46.7%), between 9 and 12 years old. For body composition was used anthropometric method described by Dhebora Kerr, while evaluation and classification of nutritional status was conducted according to technical rules nutritional Chilean Health Ministry. The men had a body composition dominated muscle mass (MM) on the other components, with values of 38.79±3.65% at 9 years of age, 40.80±3.36% at 10 years age, 41.47±2.52% at 11 years of age, 43.35±1.59% at 12 years of age. In women also predominate MM but lower figures, with a percentage of 38.70±6.64% at 9 years of age, 39.85±3.84% at 10 years of age, 39.56±4.41% at 11 years of age, 40.28±2.37% at 12 years of age. The nutritional status of the sample has the following results in the case of males 23.1% were obese and 35.4% were overweight. In womans 26.3% were obese and 15.8% were overweight. When comparing the results of Adipose Mass and MM were no significant differences by gender and ages of the sample with a value of p ≤ 0.05. The atmosphere obesigénico which highlights the lifestyle modification, diet and the effect of inactivity, is affecting the school population of Padre Las Casas.

KEYWORDS: Anthropometry; Body mass index; Nutritional state.

MARTÍNEZ, C.; REINIKE, O.; SILVA, H.; CARRASCO, V.; COLLIPAL, E. & JIMÉNEZ, C. Body composition and nutritional status of 9 to 12 year old Municipal schools students sample of Padre las Casas commune, Araucanía Region, Chile. Int. J. Morphol., 31(2):425-431, 2013.