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WHO Child Growth Standards in context: The Baby-bod Project - Observational study in Tasmania

Sisitha Jayasinghe1, Manoja P Herath1, Jeffrey M Beckett1

  • 1College of Health and Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Tasmania, Launceston, Tasmania, Australia.

BMJ Paediatrics Open
|July 5, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Tasmanian infant growth aligns with WHO standards in the first six months. Infants at the lower weight-for-length spectrum showed rapid fat mass gain and decreased fat-free mass.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Nutrition
  • Infant Growth Monitoring
  • Body Composition Analysis

Background:

  • Global child growth standards are essential for monitoring infant development.
  • Understanding regional variations in infant growth is crucial for public health.
  • Body composition changes in early infancy require detailed investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare body size and composition of Tasmanian infants with World Health Organization (WHO) child growth standards.
  • To analyze body composition changes in Tasmanian infants at the extremes of the weight-for-length (WFL) spectrum.

Main Methods:

  • An observational study was conducted with 315 healthy infants in Tasmania, Australia.
  • Body composition and anthropometric measures were collected at birth, 3, and 6 months postpartum.
  • Infant growth trajectories were compared against WHO growth standards for 0-2 year olds.

Main Results:

  • Tasmanian infant growth in the first six months was comparable to WHO global standards.
  • Infants in the lower weight-for-length (WFL) percentile exhibited the most significant increase in fat mass (FM).
  • Trajectories of fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) appeared to converge by 6 months postpartum.

Conclusions:

  • No significant growth deviations were observed in Tasmanian infants compared to WHO standards.
  • Infants below the third percentile WFL showed the most rapid FM accretion.
  • Regular comparisons of local infant growth with global standards can identify deviations from optimal growth patterns.
Abstract

Keywords:
neonatologyobesity

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