Tracking anthropometric dimensions and grip strength among children, adolescents and adults in an indigenous community of southern Mexico: 1968-1978-2000.

Allowing for the relatively broad chronological age intervals, the inter-age correlations for height, weight and BMI were at the low end, while those for grip strength and for strength per unit body weight for males (though not females) were generally in the range of correlations noted in studies of European samples. Likely associated with improved health, nutritional, and sanitation conditions, obesity and overweight were emerging among adults by 2000. Obesity and overweight in adults paralleled the introduction of mechanized agriculture that reduced routine physical work. Among children, the association of obesity and overweight is likely with increased nutritional availability, but poor choices in diet.