Anthropometric measurements in schoolgirls in the western region, Saudi Arabia

Objective: The purpose of the present study is to describe some normal and standard anthropometric values of schoolgirls (aged 6-16 years) living in the Jeddah area. These norms and standards will be used as a comparison for other populations. They will provide baseline data for establishing national norms in Saudi Arabia. Design: A cross-sectional study was performed for anthropometric measurements including height, body weight, head circumference and skin-fold thickness on 5,153 schoolgirls selected from six schools using stratified sampling techniques. Results and conclusion: For the studied girls, height and weight plateaued at the age of 13 years. More than 90 percent of the studied sample had reached their menarche at the age of 14 years. At the age of 7 years, 95 percent of the head circumference is achieved.