[An index for childhood nutrition--"chung-hsin" index].
For evaluation of growth and development of children, a nutritional index is one of the most important guides. Many methods have been proposed to estimate the index. Kaup's Index is one, used frequently to check the nutritional condition, but it is unsuitable for evaluation of infants under three-months-old. From July 1, 1986 to June 30, 1989, random selection of 274 normal, full-term newborns was made at Taipei Municipal Chung-Hsin Hospital; others studied were 477 normal healthy infants and preschool children from the well-baby clinic, and 629 normal healthy students from kindergartens and elementary schools in nearby downtown and rural area of Taipei County. Body weights (by gram) and body heights (by centimeter) were checked before eating. Naked for children under 3-years-old; those older were checked when wearing only underwear. The nutritional index was calculated by formula of 3 square root of W/Lx100 (Temporarily called "Chung-Hsin Index"). The distribution of Chung-Hsin Index was comparable to kaup's Index for children of three months or older. Under three months the distribution of Kaup's Index cannot be adapted as well as the Chung-Hsin Index. In conclusion, it was found that extraction of the cubic root of body weight and body height among normal newborns showed normal distribution. The Chung-Hsin Index, 3 square root of W/Lx100, which was based on the idea of normal distribution, is suitable for evaluation of the balance of body weight and body height not only in children under 3 months, but also in children up to 15 years old.
Chen
C H
CH
Department of Pediatrics, Taipei Municipal Chung-Hsin Hospital, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Wu
C S
CS
Lee
P P
PP
Chiu
W H
WH
D000293:Adolescent; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status