Anthropometric assessment of Kamayurá adolescents in the Upper Xingu, Central Brazil (2000-2001)

Despite the proximity between indigenous groups in the Upper Xingu Region and Brazilian national society, studies have shown adequate weight-for-height and low height-for-age in indigenous children. Little is known about the nutritional status of indigenous adolescents. The present study aimed to evaluate the nutritional status of Kamayurá adolescents. Anthropometric variables were collected from a sample of 65 adolescents (31 males and 34 females). Mean height was lower than both that of the Brazilian National Survey on Health and Nutrition and the reference population of the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics. There was a high rate of overweight in both males (38.7%) and females (23.5%), and one female adolescent was obese (2.9%). No overweight adolescent presented both the triceps and subscapular skinfolds above the 90th percentile. There were no cases of nutritional deficit among either male or female adolescents. Despite the high prevalence of overweight, the nutritional status of these adolescents is adequate, since the group presents low adiposity.