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First growth reference curves for Tunisian children and adolescents

H Ghouili1, N Ouerghi2, A Boughalmi3

  • 1Research Unit, Sportive Performance and Physical Rehabilitation, High Institute of Sports and Physical Education of Kef, University of Jendouba, Kef, Tunisia; Faculty of Sciences Bizerte, University of Carthage, Bizerte, Tunisia.

Archives De Pediatrie : Organe Officiel De La Societe Francaise De Pediatrie
|May 1, 2021
PubMed

Insights

This study developed crucial growth reference curves for Tunisian children, establishing new benchmarks for monitoring child development. These findings provide essential tools for assessing healthy growth patterns and body proportions in Tunisian youth.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Human Growth and Development
  • Biostatistics

Background:

  • Growth charts are vital for tracking children's development.
  • Establishing region-specific growth references is essential for accurate health assessments.
  • Previous growth data for Tunisian children was lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and present smoothed percentile growth reference curves for height, weight, sitting height (SH), and leg length (LL) tailored for Tunisian children.
  • To compare growth patterns between Tunisian boys and girls.
  • To identify discrepancies with existing international and regional growth references.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 4358 healthy Tunisian children (2182 girls, 2176 boys).
  • Data collected from pediatric centers and schools.
  • Smoothed growth curves estimated using the LMS method.

Main Results:

  • Percentile curves for height, weight, SH, and LL show rapid increase in early years, followed by slower progression.
  • Sitting height-to-height ratio (SHTHR) curves decrease sharply before age 4 and then stabilize.
  • Significant differences in weight, height, SH, and LL were observed between boys and girls, particularly during puberty.
  • Two growth velocity peaks identified: infancy and puberty.
  • Discrepancies noted when comparing median values with WHO, NCHS, and Algerian references.

Conclusions:

  • The developed smoothed percentile curves for weight and height are valuable for assessing the general growth of Tunisian children.
  • SH, LL, and SHTHR curves offer a means to monitor body proportions throughout childhood.
  • These references are crucial for pediatricians and health professionals in Tunisia.

Keywords:
ChildrenHeightLMS methodLeg lengthSitting heightWeight

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