title: Anthropometric indices of middle socio-economic class school children in Karachi compared with NCHS standards--a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To measure height and weight of school going children (2-18 years of age) in Karachi. By means of these parameters we were able to document where the Pakistani paediatric population plot on NCHS growth centile charts.
  
  
  METHODS
  A population based cross-sectional study (in government and private schools, Karachi), in which height and weight were taken using standardized techniques. Two thousand two hundred forty five healthy school-going children 2 to 16 years of age (calculated from date of birth); sex, height and weight were documented. After the survey was completed, height and weight of the children were plotted on NCHS centiles curves.
  
  
  RESULTS
  P5, P25 and P50 centiles for height and weight of the Pakistani girls and boys was much below that of NCHS. However, P95 for boys and girls weight and height did not differ markedly in the Pakistani and NCHS centiles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Height and weight of these children is below the NCHS centile for height and weight. Children plotting near the P95 NCHS, indicates that obesity may be a serious concern in our population. However, further studies are required for support. This pilot study indicates the need for development of centile charts for Pakistani paediatric population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Sindh Institute of Urology, Civil Hospital, Karachi.
authors.forename: Sina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aziz
authors.forename: Deneize Asim
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Puri
authors.forename: Kehkashan Zehra
authors.initials: KZ
authors.lastname: Hossain
authors.forename: Faiza
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.forename: S A A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Naqvi
authors.forename: S A H
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Rizvi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009309:National Center for Health Statistics, U.S.; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012016:Reference Values; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States