Growth references for Brazilian children and adolescents: healthy growth in Cariri study.

Aim: To construct reference values for height, body mass and BMI of children and adolescents from the Cariri region, Brazil; to compare the growth of Cariri children with those from CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and with references from other Brazilian regions; to verify the associations between socioeconomic status and height, body mass and BMI in children and youth from both sexes.

Subjects And Methods: The sample comprised 3311 girls and 3280 boys aged 7-17 years, participating in the study 'Healthy Growth in Cariri'. Socioeconomic status was defined according to school attendance: private and public.