Applied cineanthropometry in a comparative study between Aymara and non-Aymara children from 8 to 10 years of age in Northern Chile

BACKGROUND: In the commune of Arica reside, inhabitants of different ethnic groups, being representative the Aymara, these have acquired city habits, not knowing the repercussion exerted by these new customs on the corporal composition and the somatotype of the children that compose this population. The aim of this study was to analyze comparatively, from the cineanthropometric point of view, children aged 8 to 10 Aymaras and not Aymaras of the Arica commune. METHODS: To this end, a total of 206 girls and boys from the Arica commune were evaluated, who underwent studies of the composition and the somatotype, according to the protocol Slaughter to the analysis of the fat mass percentage and the calculation of somatotype was made with equation proposed by Heath and Carter. RESULTS: The main results show that the values obtained in Aymara children are higher than the values reached by children not Aymara. The Aymara girls presented higher BMI values at the ages of 8 and 10 years, but not at the age of 9 years. Concerning the percentage of fat mass, that the Aymara children have higher values than non-Aymara children, in all the age groups studied. In girls, these values were higher for the Aymaras of 8 and 10 years, but not for those of 9 years of age, this difference not being statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Concluding that there is no significant difference between both groups. However, the Aymaras showed higher values. In both groups, there was evidence of overweight and obesity with somatotypes Endomesomorphic (girls) and Mesoendomorphic (males).