[Growth in weight and height in children less than two years old in the IMSS].
OBJECTIVE
To describe the physical growth in weight and height of children less than two years of age cared for the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS).


METHODS
A population-based National Survey, which was also regional representative, was carried out in Ordinary Regime (RO) and the IMSS-Oportunidades Program (IO). In two years (2000-2002) the study gathered data on 17,502 children from the RO and 9872 from IO. The measures of weight and length were made by nurses, according to WHO criteria. Growth is reported as weight and length for each month of age and gender, in tables and percentile curves derived from quintile regressions, using a third degree polynomial to smooth out the lines.


RESULTS
The trends of the means of weight and height in the first two years of life in children cared by Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social show a pattern similar to those described in healthy children in other populations. However, the values are lower than those obtained in developed countries.


CONCLUSIONS
Children's growth at two years of age at the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social shows a curve that is lower than that of the reference population recommended by the World Health Organization as an international standard.
González-Unzaga
Marco
M
Unidad de Investigación en Epidemiología Nutricional, Departamento de Salud Comunitaria, Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico. marcounzaga@gmail.com
Martínez-Andrade
Gloria
G
Maya
Juan Luis
JL
Ramos-Hernández
Rosa Isela
RI
Turnbull
Bernardo
B
Flores
Sergio
S
Duque
Ximena
X
Flores-Huerta
Samuel
S
Martínez-Salgado
Homero
H
D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002657:Child Development; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male