Weight-for-height standards in adulthood

Although there are some Swedish studies giving reference values for height and weight in adulthood, no values of weight for height (W/H) are available. W/H is an essential measurement, as it permits comparison of weight independent of the height of an individual. We here present a method of constructing W/H standards, illustrated by a material sample of 4438 healthy individuals, 20-80 years of age, living in the Uppsala County during the period 1964-1971. In setting standards of W/H, the 'normal' increase in weight during adulthood and the distribution skewness of weight are both shown to be important. This weight gain starts at about 40 years of age, and is completed at approximately 55 years of age. It can be regarded as a 'normal' pattern, but not necessarily the optimum healthy one. Using ordinary growth charts for weight and height, a simple means of expressing W/H in standard deviation scores is outlined. It is difficult to find a representative Swedish sample, owing to geographical and psychosocial differences, and also to the secular trend phenomenon. However, the mean values for weight and height obtained in the present study fall between the mean values of two other recently conducted Swedish studies.