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Updated: Aug 1, 2026
09:36
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
A method for assessing age-standardized weight-for-height in children seen cross-sectionally
Annals of Human Biology
|May 1, 1979
Summary
Childhood weight-for-height standards often ignore age, but this study introduces a new index. This age-standardized weight-to-height ratio accurately assesses nutritional status in children until puberty.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Anthropometry
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Current weight-for-height standards in children often incorrectly assume weight is independent of age.
- This assumption is biologically and statistically unjustified, leading to potential inaccuracies in growth assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and propose a new regression-based standard for assessing weight-for-height in children.
- To develop a more accurate index that accounts for age-standardized weight and height.
Main Methods:
- Age-standardized weight and height were calculated by expressing them as fractions of the 50th centile for age.
- A ratio of age-standardized weight to the square of age-standardized height was investigated as a weight-for-height index.
- Data from 4631 children across five countries were analyzed.
Main Results:
- The proposed index, age-standardized weight/(age-standardized height)², is appropriate for assessing weight-for-height in children from infancy through pre-puberty.
- This index demonstrates utility in evaluating malnutrition and obesity in individuals and groups.
- The index requires modification with a higher exponent during puberty.
Conclusions:
- A novel, age-adjusted weight-for-height index provides a more accurate assessment tool than traditional methods for pre-pubertal children.
- The developed index and associated slide-rule offer a practical method for evaluating nutritional status.
- Further research is needed to refine the index for use during pubertal development.
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