Reference Growth Values for Adolescents Aged 12-18 Years in a Nigerian Community

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to generate growth reference values of Nigerian adolescents from Sagamu, present percentile charts for BMI, triceps skinfold (TSF), abdominal skinfold (ASF) and body weight and height and to compare their BMI 85^th and 95^th percentiles with those of USA and Cyprus. The study was a cross-sectional survey, including a representative sample of 1638 healthy adolescents in Sagamu ages 12-18 years, who were assessed during 2006 school year. Their body weight, height, BMI, triceps and abdominal skinfolds were assessed. Crude percentiles of these variable and BMI curves are presented. The mean weight, height, BMI, TSF and ASF were 46.2±11.7, 1.55±.32, 18.92±2.83, 6.4±3.0 and 6.9±2.6 for all males respectively while that of all females were 46.1±8.2, 1.55±.07, 19.19±2.54, 14.1±5.3 and 12.7±4.3 respectively. The 85^th and 95^th BMI percentile values are lesser in Nigerian adolescents in all ages compared with their peers in USA and Cyprus. The growth reference values in this study may provide a useful tool to assess body fat and nutrition status of Nigerian adolescents in Ogun state and possibly south western Nigeria in the absence of national references.

Keywords: Weight, height, body mass index, skinfold, percentiles