Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Visualizing Field Data Collection Procedures of Exposure and Biomarker Assessments for the Household Air Pollution Intervention Network Trial in India
09:33

Visualizing Field Data Collection Procedures of Exposure and Biomarker Assessments for the Household Air Pollution Intervention Network Trial in India

Published on: December 23, 2022

Pilot testing of WHO child growth standards in Chandigarh: implications for India's child health programmes

Shankar Prinja1, Jarnail Singh Thakur, Satpal Singh Bhatia

  • 1Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, School of Public Health, Chandigarh, India.

Bulletin of the World Health Organization
|March 11, 2009
PubMed

Insights

The new World Health Organization (WHO) growth standards reveal lower overall underweight prevalence in children compared to Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP) curves. These WHO standards offer better growth tracking, particularly for infants and severely malnourished children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health
  • Growth Monitoring

Background:

  • Accurate growth monitoring is crucial for early detection of malnutrition in children.
  • Existing growth curves, such as the Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP) curves, may differ from global standards.
  • The World Health Organization (WHO) Child Growth Standards provide a global reference for child development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the prevalence of underweight in children under six years using the IAP growth curves and the new WHO Child Growth Standards.
  • To evaluate the differences in nutritional status assessment between the two sets of growth references.

Main Methods:

  • A random sample of 806 children under six years from Chandigarh, India, were assessed.
  • Children's weight-for-age was calculated using both IAP growth curves and WHO growth references.
  • Nutritional status was analyzed using WHO Anthro statistical software, with statistical significance determined by the chi2 test.

Main Results:

  • Underweight prevalence in the first six months was 1.6 times higher with WHO standards compared to IAP curves.
  • Overall underweight prevalence was 1.4 times higher when using IAP standards instead of WHO standards.
  • Severe malnutrition was estimated to be 3.8 times higher using WHO standards than IAP standards.

Conclusions:

  • The new WHO growth standards indicate a lower prevalence of overall underweight children compared to IAP standards.
  • WHO standards offer superior growth tracking, especially for infants and severely malnourished children.
  • Adoption of WHO standards is recommended for more accurate global growth assessment.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study09:36

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Published on: February 2, 2017

Related Concept Videos

Methods Of Healthcare Delivery System01:26

Methods Of Healthcare Delivery System

At the different levels of the healthcare system, we see varying methods of healthcare used. These methods include managed care systems, case management, and primary healthcare.
Managed Care System:
The managed care system is designed to control the cost while maintaining the quality of care. The patient's care from admission to discharge is planned by the primary care provider or the case manager, also known as the gatekeeper. In a managed care system, the number of care providers is limited...
Primary Healthcare Services01:30

Primary Healthcare Services

Primary care promotes wellness and prevents disease. This care includes health promotion, education, protection (such as immunizations), early disease screening, and environmental considerations. Settings providing this type of healthcare include physician offices, public health clinics, school nursing, and community health nursing.
In 1978, international leaders convened in Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan, for what would be a pivotal event in global health. The Alma-Ata Declaration was the first to call...
Nature and Nurture01:10

Nature and Nurture

Many human characteristics, like height, are shaped by both nature—in other words, by our genes—and by nurture, or our environment. For example, chronic stress during childhood inhibits the production of growth hormones and consequently reduces bone growth and height. Scientists estimate that 70-90% of variation in height is due to genetic differences among individuals, and 10-30% of variation in height is due to differences in the environments that individuals experience, such as differences...