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Assessment of growth: variations according to references and growth parameters used

Marie-Françoise Rolland-Cachera1, Sandrine Péneau

  • 1INSERM, U557, Bobigny, France. mf.cachera@uren.smbh.univ-paris13.fr

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
|April 29, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Different growth references significantly impact infant growth interpretation and obesity risk assessment. Awareness of chosen methods is crucial for accurate clinical and epidemiological evaluations.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Growth Assessment
  • Obesity Risk Prediction
  • Public Health Nutrition

Background:

  • Numerous studies link early childhood growth to future obesity risk.
  • Significant variability exists in methodologies, particularly growth references and parameters used.
  • Discrepancies in growth assessment can lead to differing interpretations and parental advice.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare various international growth references against World Health Organization (WHO) standards.
  • To evaluate the impact of different references and growth parameters on obesity risk prediction.
  • To highlight the importance of consistent methodology in growth assessment.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative analysis of national growth references (France, US CDC, Netherlands, Belgium, UK) with WHO standards.
  • Examination of infant growth patterns (weight, length, BMI) across different age groups (0-3 months, 6+ months).
  • Evaluation of epidemiologic and clinical studies assessing consequences of using different references.

Main Results:

  • National references showed lower infant measurements than WHO standards in the first 3 months.
  • After 6 months, national references generally exceeded WHO standards.
  • Breastfed infants' growth aligned more closely with WHO standards, suggesting feeding practices influence reference differences.
  • Use of different references led to significant variations in interpreting child growth and predicting obesity risk.

Conclusions:

  • The choice of growth reference significantly alters the interpretation of infant growth trajectories.
  • Weight and length gains are identified as potential parameters for predicting future obesity risk.
  • Standardized and consistent methods for growth assessment are essential in clinical and epidemiological contexts.

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