The Relationship Between Body Mass Index, Socioeconomic and Geographic Factors With Somatic Maturation in Mexican Children

Objective To analyze the influence of sociodemographic factors and BMI‐based nutritional status on the somatic maturity of Mexican children. Methods BMI‐based nutritional status and maturity offset by the Moore‐II method were estimated. Information on age, sex, weight, height of 2‐ to 18‐year‐old children and adolescents, household socioeconomic status, and geographic region were obtained from the 2012 and 2018 databases of the National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT), National Institute of Public Health (INSP), and the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) in Mexico. Saturated log‐linear and logistic regression models were used to evaluate the associations among the variables. The association between the prevalence of excess weight (BMI‐based overweight and obesity) and age, transforming the logistic model to a linear model using the logit function, was estimated. Results The prevalence of overweight and obesity showed a cubic correlation with age and maturity offset in both sexes. In boys, the highest prevalence was observed at ages 12–14 years, which coincides with the peak height velocity. In girls, the highest prevalence occurred at ages 14–15 years, with this trend being stronger than in boys; additionally, overweight and obesity prevalence peaks at −2 and −1 years from APHV in boys, and between 0 and 2 years from APHV in girls. Children from rural areas, lower socioeconomic levels, and those from the southern region had a higher probability of late somatic maturity. Conclusion Socioeconomic and geographic factors play important roles in shaping nutritional status and somatic maturation patterns in Mexican children. Health and nutrition intervention programs and strategies for children and adolescents, based on these factors, are recommended.