Crecimiento puberal de 1.453 niños sanos según la edad de inicio de la pubertad. Estudio longitudinal de Barcelona

Mapping the serum testosterone landscape in boys aged 1-14 years: A population-based study

Testosterone plays a vital role in the development of boys. There is a lack of age-specific reference data for testosterone representing a gap in our abilities to differentiate physiological deviations from pathological conditions such as delayed or precocious puberty, anatomical aberrations such as hypospadias or epispadias, micro-penis or buried-penis and disorders of sex development.

OBJECTIVE

To establish age-specific reference values for serum testosterone in boys aged 1-14 years and generate centile curves to predict testosterone levels by age.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Serum testosterone levels were measured in 1398 boys aged 1-14 years using chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay. The Generalized Additive Models for Location, Scale, and Shape framework was used to generate centile curves (3rd, 5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th, 95th and 97th percentiles) for testosterone as a function of age.

RESULTS

The study revealed an age-dependent increase in serum testosterone (correlation coefficient:0.6; p ≤ 0.001). Serum testosterone remain low with minimal inter-individual variability until the onset of puberty, which is marked by a steep rise in levels. The inter-percentile range is widened significantly during puberty, indicating high variability in testosterone and co-existence of pre-pubertal boys with those already into puberty.

CONCLUSIONS

The centile curves and reference values will bridge the literature-gap and serve as a critical tool in clinical practice. The findings also underscore the relevance of personalized assessment in view of individual variability in testosterone levels and the timings of the onset of puberty.

Age- and Sex-Dynamic Fluctuations and Reference Intervals for Alkaline Phosphatase Among the Spanish Population

CONTEXT.—

Interpretation of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity is essential for the diagnosis of certain diseases. ALP changes during life and may vary between different populations.

OBJECTIVE.—

To establish reference intervals (RIs) and percentile charts for ALP activity in the Spanish population through a multicentric observational study and to compare the RIs to those defined in other countries.

DESIGN.—

A total of 662 350 ALP measurements from individuals ages 0 to 99 years from 9 Spanish tertiary care centers collected between 2020 and 2022 were analyzed. This study is the largest published on this topic in the literature to date.

RESULTS.—

Continuous percentile charts for ALP according to sex and age were established which can be used as RIs. Higher levels are reached during the first weeks of life. In puberty, a differential evolution is observed in both sexes, reaching a peak at 10 to 13 years of age in boys and remaining stable in girls at this age. Significant differences were also observed in adults, higher in men between ages 20 and 49 years and between ages 50 and 79 years in women, as reported in some countries.

CONCLUSIONS.—

ALP activity follows an age- and sex-dependent fluctuation with geographic differences. It is important to have appropriate reference values for each population in order to allow for a correct diagnostic interpretation and early diagnosis of diseases related to ALP abnormalities.

Clinical and Genetic Characterization of a Cohort of Small-for-Gestational-Age Patients: Cost-Effectiveness of Whole-Exome Sequencing and Effectiveness of Treatment with GH

Background/Objectives: Develop a clinical and genetic characterization, in a group of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) patients who did not experience catch-up growth Methods: In an ambispective cohort study with (SGA) patients. These patients received one treatment with growth hormone (GH) over 14 years. This study analyzes their response to treatment and conducts a genetic analysis in order to identify cases with specific phenotypic and auxological characteristics, defined as presenting two or more dysmorphic traits and/or a stature below -3 SDS (standard deviation score). Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was performed on selected patients. Results: Forty-four SGA patients were examined, with an average age of 6.4 (2.49) years and an initial size of -3.3 SDS. The pubertal growth was 24.1 (5.2) cm in boys and 14.7 (4.3) cm in girls. WES in 11 SGA patients revealed conclusive genetic variants in eight, including two pathogenic ACAN variants, one 15q26.2-q26.3 deletion, and four variants of uncertain significance in other genes. Conclusions: Treatment with GH in SGA patients was shown to be effective, with a similar response in the group with positive genetic results and in the group who did not undergo a genetic study. Genetic testing based on auxological and clinical criteria proved highly cost-effective.

Gestational vitamin D and offspring fracture risk: do associations persist into mid adolescence?

BACKGROUND

Previous studies report that maternal vitamin D exposure during pregnancy is associated with offspring later-life bone health. A study in the Vitamin D in Pregnancy (VIP) cohort reported sexually dimorphic effects of maternal 25-hydroxyvitamin-D (25(OH)D) and offspring fracture profiles at 10 years of age. We, therefore, aimed to determine associations between maternal 25(OH)D status and offspring fracture risk at 16 years of age in this cohort.

METHODS

In total, 475 mother-child pairs were recruited to the VIP study in southeastern Australia. Maternal serum samples were obtained at recruitment (<16 weeks' gestation) and/or 28-32 weeks' gestation and analysed for 25(OH)D. Radiologically-confirmed incident fractures in children were ascertained from date of birth (2002-2004) until July 16, 2019. Cox proportional hazard models were used to determine associations between maternal 25(OH)D and childhood fracture risk, and final models included maternal age at recruitment, offspring sex, birth weight, gestation length and season of 25(OH)D sample.

RESULTS

Data were available for 400 children (mean age 16.1 years). There were 122 (30.5%) children who sustained at least one fracture. Higher maternal 25(OH)D (per 10 nmol/L) in early gestation was associated with a decreased fracture risk in boys (HR 0.87; 95% CI: 0.77, 0.99); the pattern was reversed in girls (HR 1.10; 95% CI 1.00, 1.22). At late gestation, higher maternal 25(OH)D was associated with an increased fracture risk in girls (HR 1.14; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.24).

CONCLUSIONS

While our findings must be interpreted within the constraints of our limitations, we report that the contradictory risk profiles observed at early childhood in this cohort remain in adolescence.

Virtual Growing Child (VGC): A general normative comparative system via quantitative dynamic MRI for quantifying pediatric regional respiratory anomalies with application in thoracic insufficiency syndrome (TIS)

Background

A normative database of regional respiratory structure and function in healthy children does not exist.

Methods

VGC provides a database with four categories of regional respiratory measurement parameters including morphological, architectural, dynamic, and developmental. The database has 3,820 3D segmentations (around 100,000 2D slices with segmentations). Age and gender group analysis and comparisons for healthy children were performed using those parameters via two-sided t-testing to compare mean measurements, for left and right sides at end-inspiration (EI) and end-expiration (EE), for different age and gender specific groups. We also apply VGC measurements for comparison with TIS patients via an extrapolation approach to estimate the association between measurement and age via a linear model and to predict measurements for TIS patients. Furthermore, we check the Mahalanobis distance between TIS patients and healthy children of corresponding age.

Findings

The difference between male and female groups (10-12 years) behave differently from that in other age groups which is consistent with physiology/natural growth behavior related to adolescence with higher right lung and right diaphragm tidal volumes for females(p<0.05). The comparison of TIS patients before and after surgery show that the right and left components are not symmetrical, and the left side diaphragm height and tidal volume has been significantly improved after surgery (p <0.05). The left lung volume at EE, and left diaphragm height at EI of TIS patients after surgery are closer to the normal children with a significant smaller Mahalanobis distance (MD) after surgery (p<0.05).

Interpretation

The VGC system can serve as a reference standard to quantify regional respiratory abnormalities on dMRI in young patients with various respiratory conditions and facilitate treatment planning and response assessment.

Funding

The grant R01HL150147 from the National Institutes of Health (PI Udupa).

The Interaction between Circulating Cell-Free Mitochondrial DNA and Inflammatory Cytokines in Predicting Human Mental Health Issue Risk in Adolescents: An Explorative Study

Adolescence is often a challenging time in which psychiatric issues have a strong connection to mental health disorders later in life. The early identification of the problems can reduce the burden of disease. To date, the effective identification of adolescents at risk of developing mental health problems remains understudied. Altogether, the interaction between circulating cell-free mtDNA (ccf-mtDNA) and inflammatory cytokines in adolescents is insufficiently understood regarding experienced mental health difficulties. Our study selected the participants based on the Strength and Difficulty Questionnaire (SDQ) score using the cut-off points of 3 and 18 for the low and the high score groups, respectively. The answers of the SDQ at the age of 12.2-15.7 years contributed to the investigation of (i) whether ccf-mtDNA units are associated with cytokines, and (ii) if an interaction model for predicting risk of mental health issues is observed. We discovered a sex-specific correlation between the screened markers associated with mental health problems in the low and high SDQ score groups among the male participants and in the low SDQ score group among the female participants. The mitochondrial MT-ND4 and MT-CO1 genes correlated significantly with interleukin-12p70 (IL-12p70) in males and with monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in females. Due to the nature of the explorative study, the studied markers alone did not indicate statistical significance for the prediction of mental health problems. Our analysis provided new insight into potential plasma-based biomarkers to predict mental health issues.

Prepubertal BMI, pubertal growth patterns, and long-term BMI: Results from a longitudinal analysis in Chinese children and adolescents from 2005 to 2016

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effects of prepubertal BMI on pubertal growth patterns, and the influence of prepubertal BMI and pubertal growth patterns on long-term BMI among Chinese children and adolescents.

METHODS

A total of 9606 individuals aged between 7 and 18 years from longitudinal surveys in Zhongshan city of China from 2005 to 2016 were enrolled. Age at peak height velocity (APHV) and peak height velocity (PHV) were estimated using Super-Imposition by Translation and Rotation (SITAR) model. Associations between prepubertal BMI, APHV, PHV, and long-term overweight and obesity were assessed by linear regression and multinominal logistic regression. Scatter plots were elaborated to show the associations between prepubertal BMI and pubertal growth patterns according to prepubertal BMI categories.

RESULTS

Prepubertal BMI Z-Score was positively correlated with long-term BMI Z-Score, and negatively correlated with APHV in both sexes. In addition, there was a negative association between prepubertal BMI Z-Score and PHV in boys. With 1-year decrease in APHV, risk of long-term underweight decreased by 92%, while overweight increased by 33% in boys. Corresponding risk of long-term underweight and overweight for girls decreased by 42% and increased by 20%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

High prepubertal BMI levels were associated with earlier APHV and lower PHV, and the early onset of pubertal development could increase the risks of long-term overweight and obesity at 17-18 years of age both in boys and girls. Such evidence emphasized the importance of reducing prepubertal obesity risks combined with appropriate pubertal development timing, including later APHV and higher PHV, so as to prevent the obesity and related cardiovascular diseases in adulthood.

Adiposity Metabolic Consequences for Adolescent Bone Health

Infancy and adolescence are crucial periods for bone health, since they are characterized by intense physical growth and bone development. The unsatisfactory acquisition of bone mass in this phase has consequences in adult life and increases the risk of developing bone diseases at more advanced ages. Nutrient deficiencies, especially calcium and vitamin D, associated with a sedentary lifestyle; lack of sun exposure; and epigenetic aspects represent some of the main risk factors for poor bone quality. In addition, recent studies relate childhood obesity to impaired bone health; however, studies on the adiposity effects on bone health are scarce and inconclusive. Another gap concerns the implications of obesity on child sexual maturity, which can jeopardize their genetic potential bone mass and increase fracture risk. Therefore, we reviewed the analyzed factors related to bone health and their association with obesity and metabolic syndrome in adolescents. We concluded that obesity (specifically, accumulated visceral fat) harms bones in the infant-juvenile phase, thereby increasing osteopenia/osteoporosis in adults and the elderly. Thus, it becomes evident that forming and maintaining healthy eating habits is necessary during infancy and adolescence to reduce the risk of fractures caused by bone-metabolic diseases in adulthood and to promote healthy ageing.

Estimation of Pubertal Growth-Spurt Parameters in Children and Adolescents in Colombia: Comparison between Low and Moderate Altitudes

Context-specific information, including differences in geographical areas, such as distinct altitudes, can be important to explain variations in physical growth. We aimed to compare the estimation of maximum growth velocity and pubertal growth-spurt parameters of children and adolescents living at low and moderate altitudes in Colombia. A cross-sectional study, including a representative cohort of 30.305 (51% boys) children and adolescents aged 1−18 years from Colombia, was performed. The heights were measured with standardized techniques. The Preece−Baines growth model was used to estimate the mathematical and biological parameters of the height-growth velocities and growth spurts for both sexes. The altitudes were categorized as low (18 to 564 m above sea level) or moderate (2420 to 2640 m above sea level). There were no differences in final height (h1), peak height velocity size (hθ), age at peak height velocity (APHV), or peak height velocity PHV (cm/y) between the subjects living in both altitudes (p > 0.05). The APHV was estimated at 12.75 ± 0.75 years in the boys and at 10.05 ± 0.65 years in the girls. The girls reached the APVH 2.70 years earlier than the boys. Regarding the PHV, the boys reached higher growth velocity, which was 6.85 ± 0.55 cm/y. In conclusion, there were no significant differences in final height, peak height, APHV, or PHV between the children and adolescents living at distinct altitudes in Colombia. The PHV occurred approximately 3 years earlier in the girls than in the boys. Furthermore, the girls’ estimated PHV, APHV, and final height were lower than those of the boys. This study allows additional insight into pubertal growth-spurt parameters and also provides a valuable reference database for the assessment of Colombian children and adolescents.

Seventy eight children born small for gestational age without catch-up growth treated with growth hormone from the prepubertal stage until adult height age. An evaluation of puberty and changes in the metabolic profile

A wide variation in height gain rate is observed in children small for gestational age (SGA) treated with growth hormone (GH). The aim of this study was to evaluate prepubertal and pubertal growth, height gain attained at adult age and to assess potential predictive factors in catch-up growth. Changes in metabolic profile were also analyzed.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Seventy-eight children born SGA were treated with a GH median dose of 33.0±2.8mcg/kg/day at a mean age of 7.3±2.0 (boys) and 6.0±1.8 (girls).

RESULTS

Mean height (SDS) at GH onset was -3.31±0.7 for boys and -3.48±0.7 for girls. According to age at pubertal growth spurt onset patients were classified in their pubertal maturity group. Adult height attained expressed in SDS was -1.75±0.7 for boys and -1.69±1.0 for girls, both below the range of their mid-parental height. The greatest height gain occurred during the prepubertal period. Patients with greater height gain were lighter (p<0.001), shorter (p=0.005), and younger (p=0.02) at the start of GH, and also showed a greater increase in growth velocity during the first year on GH (p<0.001). SGA children started puberty at the same age and with the same distribution into pubertal maturity group as the reference population. No relevant GH-related adverse events were reported, including in the insulin resistance parameters evaluated. Differences were found in fasting plasma glucose values, but were without clinical relevance. IGF-I plasma values remained within the safety range.

CONCLUSIONS

GH therapy is safe and beneficial for SGA children. The response to GH therapy is widely heterogeneous, suggesting that GH should be started at a young age and the GH dose prescribed should be individualized. SGA children started puberty at the same age as the reference population. The only factor that predicts greater adult height is growth velocity during the first year of therapy.

Seventy eight children born small for gestational age without catch-up growth treated with growth hormone from the prepubertal stage until adult height age. An evaluation of puberty and changes in the metabolic profile

A wide variation in height gain rate is observed in children small for gestational age (SGA) treated with growth hormone (GH). The aim of this study was to evaluate prepubertal and pubertal growth, height gain attained at adult age and to assess potential predictive factors in catch-up growth. Changes in metabolic profile were also analyzed.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Seventy-eight children born SGA were treated with a GH median dose of 33.0±2.8mcg/kg/day at a mean age of 7.3±2.0 (boys) and 6.0±1.8 (girls).

RESULTS

Mean height (SDS) at GH onset was -3.31±0.7 for boys and -3.48±0.7 for girls. According to age at pubertal growth spurt onset patients were classified in their pubertal maturity group. Adult height attained expressed in SDS was -1.75±0.7 for boys and -1.69±1.0 for girls, both below the range of their mid-parental height. The greatest height gain occurred during the prepubertal period. Patients with greater height gain were lighter (p<0.001), shorter (p=0.005), and younger (p=0.02) at the start of GH, and also showed a greater increase in growth velocity during the first year on GH (p<0.001). SGA children started puberty at the same age and with the same distribution into pubertal maturity group as the reference population. No relevant GH-related adverse events were reported, including in the insulin resistance parameters evaluated. Differences were found in fasting plasma glucose values, but were without clinical relevance. IGF-I plasma values remained within the safety range.

CONCLUSIONS

GH therapy is safe and beneficial for SGA children. The response to GH therapy is widely heterogeneous, suggesting that GH should be started at a young age and the GH dose prescribed should be individualized. SGA children started puberty at the same age as the reference population. The only factor that predicts greater adult height is growth velocity during the first year of therapy.

[Growth hormone deficit: Influence of puberty on the response to treatment]

INTRODUCTION

Short stature is the most frequent reason for consultation in Pediatric Endocrinology consultations and sometimes requires treatment with growth hormone. The aim of the study was to analyze the response to treatment based on its onset in pubertal or prepubertal stages and to analyze the possible benefit of an early onset.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Longitudinal, retrospective and observational study in 139 patients treated for idiopathic growth hormone deficiency up to adult height.

MAIN VARIABLES STUDIED

(a) genetic background: maternal, paternal and genetic height; (b) perinatal history; (c) anthropometry during follow-up and at pubertal onset: weight, height, body mass index; (d) variables during follow-up and at pubertal onset: growth rate, bone age and growth prognosis. Final response variables: adult height, adult height with respect to target height, adult height with respect to initial growth prediction, adult height with respect to initial height at the start of treatment and adult height with respect to height at pubertal onset.

RESULTS

Total pubertal gain was 0.84±0.6 SD. 61.9% of the patients started treatment with rhGH in prepuberty. The initiation of treatment in the prepubertal stage and a higher total pubertal gain are correlated with a better final height (P=.001 and r=0.507, P=.00, respectively). Furthermore, a longer duration of treatment in pre-puberty is correlated with a better final response (r=0.328, P=.00).

CONCLUSIONS

The start of treatment in the prepubertal stage and its longer duration during this period are determining factors to achieve a good long-term response. Total pubertal gain was greater in patients who started treatment in the pubertal stage.

Incidence rate of congenital scoliosis estimated from a nationwide health insurance database

To investigate the epidemiology of congenital scoliosis (CS) and treatment trends. An age-matched, nationwide, population-based study was conducted using the National Health Insurance and Health Insurance Review and Assessment databases from 2010 to 2015. Data regarding the diagnosis and treatment of scoliosis were extracted using International Classifications of Diseases, 10th revision codes. The age-matched normal population was determined from the Korean Statistical Information Service database. We analyzed the incidence rate of CS according to age and sex, as well as the proportion of surgically treated patients. A total of 1664 patients (aged 0-19 years) were diagnosed with CS. The overall average incidence rate of CS over the 5-year period was 3.08 per 100,000 persons, with the highest and second highest rates at 0 years and 12-16 years of age, respectively. The incidence rate stratified by age ranged from 1.5 to 20.1 per 100,000 persons among the age-matched normal population, with peaks at 0 years of age and the second growth spurt in adolescence (12-16 years for males; 10-14 years for females). Anterior surgery was rarely performed; posterior surgery was performed in 92 patients (5.5% of all patients), with the highest prevalence (56.5%) in patients diagnosed at 10-14 years of age. The overall average incidence rate of CS over a 5-year period was 3.08 per 100,000 persons. Only 5.5% of patients underwent surgery within 5 years after the initial diagnosis.

Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Improves Respiratory Muscle Function and Functional Capacity in Children with Congenital Heart Disease. A Prospective Cohort Study

Critical surgical and medical advances have shifted the focus of congenital heart disease (CHD) patients from survival to achievement of a greater health-related quality of life (HRQoL). HRQoL is influenced, amongst other factors, by aerobic capacity and respiratory muscle strength, both of which are reduced in CHD patients. This study evaluates the influence of a cardiopulmonary rehabilitation program (CPRP) on respiratory muscle strength and functional capacity. Fifteen CHD patients, ages 12 to 16, with reduced aerobic capacity in cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) were enrolled in a CPRP involving strength and aerobic training for three months. Measurements for comparison were obtained at the start, end, and six months after the CPRP. A significant improvement of inspiratory muscle strength was evidenced (maximum inspiratory pressure 21 cm H₂O, 23%, p < 0.01). The six-minute walking test showed a statistically and clinically significant rise in walked distance (48 m, p < 0.01) and a reduction in muscle fatigue (1.7 out of 10 points, p = 0.017). These results suggest CPRP could potentially improve respiratory muscle function and functional capacity, with lasting results, in children with congenital heart disease, but additional clinical trials must be conducted to confirm this finding.

Isolated pulmonary interstitial glycogenosis associated with alveolar growth abnormalities: A long-term follow-up study

INTRODUCTION

Pulmonary interstitial glycogenosis (PIG) is a rare infant interstitial lung disease characterized by an increase in the number of interstitial mesenchymal cells, presenting as enhanced cytoplasmic glycogen, and is considered to represent the expression of an underlying lung development disorder.

METHODS

This study describes the clinical, radiological, and functional characteristics and long-term outcomes (median 12 years) of nine infants diagnosed with isolated PIG associated with alveolar simplification in the absence of other diseases.

RESULTS

All patients presented with tachypnea. Additionally, seven patients had breathing difficulties and hypoxemia. Abnormalities in chest-computerized tomography (CT) with a pattern of ground-glass opacity, septal thickening, and air trapping were observed in all individuals, with images suggesting abnormal alveolar growth (parenchymal bands and architectural distortion). All lung biopsies showed alveolar simplification associated with an increased number of interstitial cells, which appeared as accumulated cytoplasmic glycogen. In the follow-up, all patients were asymptomatic. The respiratory function test was normal in only two patients. Five children showed an obstructive pattern, and two children showed a restrictive pattern. Chest-CT, performed after an average of 6.5 years since the initial investigation, revealed a partial improvement of the ground-glass opacity pattern; however, relevant alterations persisted.

CONCLUSION

Although the patients with PIG in the absence of other associated pathologies had a good clinical outcome, significant radiographic alterations and sequelae in lung function were still observed after a median follow-up of 12 years, suggesting that PIG is a marker of some other persistent abnormalities in lung growth, which have effects beyond the symptomatic period.

[Effect of changing reference growth charts on the prevalence of short stature]

INTRODUCTION

Short stature is a family concern, and is a common reason for consultations in paediatrics. Growth charts are an essential diagnostic tool. The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of changing reference charts in the diagnosis of short stature in a health area.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

A population-based-cross-sectional-descriptive-study was performed in which the height of children of 4, 6, 10 and 13 years-old were compared with the growth charts of the Fundación Orbegozo 2004 Longitudinal and 2011. The prevalence of short stature and the 3rd percentile of the study sample were calculated.

RESULTS

There were 12,256 valid records (89% of the population). The prevalence of short stature increased at all ages with the change in the growth charts, with differences of prevalence of 3.6% (95% CI: 2.8 to 4.5) at 4 years; 1.8% (95% CI: 1.3 to 2.3) at 6 years; 2.8% (95% CI: 2.2 to 3.4) at 10 years, and 1.4% (95% CI: 0.8 to 1.9) at 13 years. In absolute numbers, it went from 58 diagnoses of short stature with the 2004 Longitudinal charts (34 boys and 24 girls) to 352 with the 2011 (155 boys and 197 girls).

CONCLUSIONS

The change in reference growth charts has increased by 6-fold the number of diagnoses of short stature. The pathological condition found in the cases diagnosed with the 2011 growth charts that had not been diagnosed with the previous charts will allow us to evaluate the suitability of the change.

[Body mass index and tri-ponderal mass index of 1,453 healthy non-obese, non-undernourished millennial children. The Barcelona longitudinal growth study]

INTRODUCTION

Body mass index-for age (BMI) and tri-ponderal mass index-for-age (TMI) values of healthy non-underweight, non-obese millennial children have not been reported until now. We aimed to obtain these values.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Longitudinal growth study (1995-2017) of 1,453 healthy non-underweight, non-obese millennial children, from birth (n = 477) or from 4 years of age (n = 976) to 18 years in girls and 19 years in boys (25,851 anthropometric measurements).

RESULTS

In each sex, mean BMI-for-age values increased from birth to one year, declined until 5and increased from then onwards. Mean TMI-for-age values decreased abruptly during the first 6years of age and slowly thereafter, in both sexes. Although, at some ages, mean BMI-for age values differed statistically between sexes, differences were scant and of poor clinical significance. The same occurred for TMI-for-age values. BMI-for-age cut-off values to define underweight status (-2 SD) were similar to those proposed by Cole and the WHO for both sexes. However, BMI-for-age cut-off values to define obesity (+2 SD) were lower in both sexes (1.0-5.3) than those proposed by Cole and similar to those proposed by the WHO until 12 in girls and 14 in boys and lower (1.0-4.8) from these ages onwards.

CONCLUSIONS

BMI-for-age and TMI-for-age values of healthy non-underweight, non-obese millennial children are provided. No clinically relevant differences were observed between sexes. These values may be used to measure underweight status and obesity in present pediatric populations and to evaluate the relationship between BMI-for-age and TMI-for-age in a clinical setting.