Perímetro, áreas magra y grasa braquiales, pliegue tricipital y nivel socioeconómico en escolares de la Región Metropolitana de Chile

Brachial circumference |BC|, triceps skinfold thickness (TSTj, lean and fat braquial area [LFA and FBA] wete measured in 5 557 school children aged 6 to 1 5 years representative of the metropolitan region of Chile. Socioeconomic level (SEL) was measured by Graffar score and clasified in three levels. Results are shown by age, sex and SEL. Lower BC, 1ST, LFA and FBA were found in school age males of the lower SEL from age 6 year on. However, higher or similar BC, 1ST, LFA and FBA were found in medium, lowef and high SEL females. These resulls show a sexual Dimorphism, but do nol allow us to make conclusions on ihe amount of influence of either ethnic 01 environmental factors. Identification of local body standard measurements are not only important for the surveillance of growth and development of children belonging to different SEL and to detect the secular Irend of growth of our population but also in individual cases where I II H I f I they will allow better nutritional evaluations.