ABDOMINAL CIRCUMFERENCE CONTRIBUTES TO ABSENCE OF WASTING IN BRAZILIAN CHILDREN

A number of population groups in Latin America show high prevalences o f stunting (low height-for-age) despite very low rates of wasting (wei ght-for-height deficits). One possible explanation for this phenomenon is an increase in abdominal circumference, which would affect childre n's weights but not their heights. This study was designed to describe the abdominal circumferences of a group of poor children from Northea st Brazil, and to relate these to their weight-for-weight z-score. Chi ldren (n = 252) participating in a government growth monitoring progra m were studied. The prevalence of stunting (below -2 SD) was 26.2%, bu t only 1.2% were wasted. Abdominal circumferences increased with age u p to 36 mo, followed by a slight decline after 48 mo. Abdominal circum ference was the anthropometric measurement most closely associated wit h weight-for-height, with a coefficient of determination of 41%. Even after adjusting for arm circumference, abdominal circumference continu ed to explain 16% of the variation in weight-for-height. Despite sligh t differences in measurement techniques, the study children had consis tently larger abdominal girths than a sample of North American childre n. These findings must be verified by replication but highlight a poss ible contribution of abdominal circumference in the determination of l evels of wasting.