Results

Correlation analysis of the various weight-for-height indices with weight, height, triceps and subscapular fat-folds and with the sum of both, showed that the Quetelet index or BMI was the one that at each year of age, tended to have the highest correlations with weight, fat-folds and their sum, and lower correlations with height (data not shown).

The percentile values of BMI for either sex showed that the median for men was between 22.2 and 23.7 and for women between 22.4 and 25.5. More than 97% of men had BMI >18.0 and almost the same proportion of women were >17.0 (Table 1).

With the data supplied by the distribution tables of individuals by categories of fat-folds according to the BMI categories, cut-off points for BMI were selected (Table 2). The distribution of individuals in relation to the agreed figures (Tables 3 and 4) showed, for the whole group, that over 50% of men and a little over 40% of women fell into a normal BMI range. Very small percentages, especially of men, were classified as CED. In the obese classification, however, there was a considerable number of individuals (a little over 30% of the men and nearly 40% of the women). A higher percentage of urban adults of both sexes showed obese BMI values, while the rural population in general had the lower BMI categories (Table 5).

Table 1. Body mass index values in the Cuban adult population

		*Percentiles*
*Age groups (years)*	n	3	10	25	50	75	90	97
Males
20-39	2907	18.0	19.2	20.5	22.2	24.6	27.2	29.7
30-39	4518	18.3	19.7	21.2	23.4	26.1	28.7	31.3
40-49	2741	18.4	19.8	21.5	23.7	26.5	29.0	31.8
50-59	1189	17.9	19.4	21.1	23.3	26.3	:28.6	31.5
Females
20-29	7447	16.9	18.2	20.0	22.4	25.6	28.9	32.9
30-39	7233	17.4	19.1	21.3	24.1	27.4	31.1	34.9
40-49	3189	17.5	19.7	22.1	25.4	28.8	32.4	36.1
50-59	839	16.8	19.3	22.3	25.5	29.7	33.3	37.1

Table 2. The 'normality' body mass index of values specified by cut-off points (COP)

*Age (years) groups*	*Males*		*Females*
	*Low COP*	*High COP*	*Low COP*	*High COP*
20-39	21.0	25.4	20.6	26.6
40-59	21.5	26.5	22.2	28.9

Table 3. Distribution of individuals by body mass index (BMI): males

		*CED 3 BMI <16*		*CED 2 BMI 16-16.9*		*CED 1 BMI 17-18.4*		*Underweight BMI 18.5-19.9*		*Normal BMI 20-24.9*		*Obese 1-2-3 BMI ³25*
*Age groups (years)*	n	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%
20-29	2907	3	0.1	19	0.7	132	4.5	386	13.3	1740	59.9	627	21.6
30-39	4518	9	0.2	22	0.5	150	3.3	396	8.8	2428	53.7	1513	33.5
40-49	2741	4	0.1	19	0.7	75	2.7	211	7.7	1396	50.9	1036	37.8
50-59	1189	2	0.2	10	0.8	46	3.9	123	10.3	602	50.6	406	34.1
20-59	11355	18	0.2	70	0.6	403	3.6	1116	9.8	6166	54.3	3582	31.5

Table 4. Distribution of individuals by body mass index (BMI): females

*Age groups (years)*		*CED 3 BMI <16*		*CED 2 BMI I6-16.9*		*CED 1 BMI 17-18.4*		*Underweight BMI 18.5-19.9*		*Normal BMI 20-24.9*		*Obese 1-2-3 BMI ³25*
	n	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%
20-29	7447	62	0.8	185	2.5	680	9.1	962	12.9	3444	46.2	2114	28.4
30-39	7233	46	0.6	101	1.4	377	5.2	642	8.9	2963	41.0	3104	42.9
40-49	3189	34	1.1	27	0.8	119	3.7	200	6.3	1106	34.7	1703	53.4
50-59	839	11	1.3	16	1.9	33	3.9	53	6.3	280	33.4	446	53.2
20-59	18708	153	0.8	329	1.8	1209	6.5	1857	9.9	7793	41.7	7367	39.4

Table 5. Distribution of individuals by body mass index (BMI) and place of residence

*Age group: 20-59 years*		*CED 3 BMI <16*		*CED 2 BMI 16-16.9*		*CED 1 BM I17-18.4*		*Underweight BMI 18.5-19.9*		*Normal BMI 20-24.9*		*Obese 1-2-3 BMI ³25*
	n	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%
Males
Urban	7565	13	0.2	50	0.7	257	3.4	677	8.9	3841	50.8	2727	36.0
Rural	3786	5	0.1	20	0.5	146	3.9	438	11.6	2323	61.4	854	22.6
Females
Urban	12974	89	0.7	188	1.5	712	5.5	1198	9.2	5363	41.3	5424	41.8
Rural	5727	64	1.1	141	2.5	497	8.7	657	11.5	2425	42.3	1943	33.9

In men, there was no relation between educational level and percentages of CED 1, 2, 3, nor in those classified as underweight. In the normal BMI category the percentages of men were inversely proportional to their educational level. In the obese classification, the values followed the same trend as the educational level (Table 6). In women, percentages for CED classification as well as for underweight followed an inverse trend with the educational level. In the normal BMI range there were higher percentages in the higher educational groups but obesity had no relation to the educational level (Table 7).

As for occupation, the percentages of men classified as CED or underweight were slightly higher in those who did light physical work. Obesity was much more prevalent in the office worker than in the farm workers (Table 8). The highest proportions of underweight and CED women were found in agricultural workers and housewives. There was no relation between the physical effort required by the occupation and the percentages of individuals in the normal BMI and obese groups (Table 9).

The shortest men tended to have BMIs shifted to the right (higher) compared with tallest men. There was a similar shift in the shortest compared with the tallest women (Tables 10 and 11).

Table 6. Distribution of individuals by body mass index (BMI) and educational level in men aged 20-59 years

*Educational level^a*		*CED 3 BMI<16*		*CED 2 BMI 216-16.9*		*CED 1 BMI 17-18.4*		*Underweight BMI 18.5-19.9*		*Normal BMI 20-24.9*		*Obese 1-2-3 BMI ³25*
	n	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%
1	1623	2	0.1	15	0.9	60	3.7	123	7.6	785	46.7	663	41.0
2	2728	5	0.2	12	0.4	92	3.4	273	10.0	1395	51.1	951	34.9
3	4643	7	0.2	24	0.5	159	3.4	440	9.5	2623	56.5	1390	29.9
4	2280	4	0.2	18	0.8	88	3.9	271	11.9	1345	59.0	554	24.3

^aGroups:
1, high school graduates, university graduates
2, junior high school graduates
3, junior high school not completed, elementary school graduates
4, elementary school not completed.

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