Prevalencia de porcentaje de grasa corporal, obesidad abdominal y estado nutricional en niños y adolescentes que acuden a la consulta externa de nutrición del Hospital del Niño Dr. Roberto Gilbert E. en la ciudad de Guayaquil de mayo a septiembre del 2018.

Abstract

Childhood obesity has reached epidemic levels in both developed and developing countries. It is known that overweight and obesity in childhood have a significant impact on physical and psychological health. This study estimated the prevalence of overweight and obesity through the percentage of body fat, waist circumference and nutritional status in children and adolescents who attend the nutrition outpatient clinic of the Child Hospital Dr. Roberto Gilbert E. in the city of Guayaquil. It is a prospective descriptive study of transversal type, where the variables used were weight/age, height/age, BMI/age, waist circumference, % body fat by skin folds and by bioimpedance. A sample of 32 patients who met the inclusion criteria were taken. From the data obtained of % body fat a significant correlation was observed between the two measurements demonstrating the most sensitive method to determine % body fat is bioimpedance.Therefore, It´s concluded that in order to diagnose obesity it is not enough to trust on a high BMI, it´s necessary to know the % body fat for a correct diagnosis.