Assessment of BMI and waist-to-height ratio in the infant population at a UMF on the northern border of Mexico

Abstract

Objective. Determine BMI and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) in the pediatric population at a UMF on the northern border of Mexico. Methods: An observational, prospective study was conducted on pediatric beneficiaries of UMF No. 60 of the IMSS. Anthropometric measurements were taken, and BMI and WHtR were calculated for the subsequent detection of the percentage of children with overweight and obesity. Results: The mean BMI and WHtR in this population were 17.91±2.42 and 0.48±0.057, respectively. No significant differences were found in age and gender for these indicators (p>0.05). Additionally, the prevalence of overweight was 45.8%, while 26.4% of the children were obese. Conclusion: The values obtained for BMI and WHtR in this pediatric population on the northern border of Mexico align with those reported in the literature and do not vary by gender or age. However, it is alarming to note that the prevalence of overweight and obesity is more than double the national level reported.