Assessment of nutritional status of healthy middle class young and adult subjects living in Botucatu, State of S. Paulo, Brazil : energy and protein intakes, anthropometric and blood biochemical estimations and immunocompetence tests. ISSN Nutritional status was assessed in middle-class healthy adult individuals 69 medical students, y, 34 males, 35 females ; 48 university personnel, y, 24 males, 24 females; and their older relatives, 34 subjects, y, 19 males, 15 females living in Botucatu, S.
Methods included anthropometric measurements, energy and protein intakes, blood biochemical analyses and cutaneous delayed hypersensitivity tests. Anthropometric measurements showed higher values in men, with the exception of the triceps skifold thickness higher in women and of the arm fat area higher in the older age female groups ; aging seemed to be associated with increases of weight, arm muscle variables and with arm fat accumulation in women and with increases of arm muscle variables in men.
The values for anthropometric measurements were in general higher than those found in other Brazilian studies; on the other hand, they approximate to but do not entirely agree with the data representative of the international referential adult population: differences were mainly concerned with body weight and upper arm muscle parameters, which were lower in our sample.
The mean values for serum proteins and lipids were similar to those of referential data. As regards the hypersensitivity tests, it was found that none of the individuals challenged with four antigens PPD, Candidin, Vaccinia and phytohemagglutinin presented less than two positive skin reactions. Besides, all the subjects challenged with phytohemagglutinin had positive reaction to this direct lymphocyte stimulator.
All the contents of this journal, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. Services on Demand Journal. Keywords : Nutritional status; Anthropometry; Nutrition surveys. Avenida Dr. How to cite this article.
