Cross-sectional growth references and implications for the development of an international growth standard for school-aged children and adolescents.
Normative data are needed to create a reference that indicates optimal development of weight in relation to height and age, particularly in the face of the unfolding obesity epidemic. The body-mass index (BMI) has some serious limitations: it is a relatively poor predictor of current and future fatness. Currently, however, there are few available alternatives, with the possible exception of waist circumference or skinfolds. The use of cross-sectional references to construct a BMI-reference curve is problematic when there are period and cohort effects. Ideally, a reference would be based on longitudinal data in populations with little underweight, overweight, and obesity. In the meantime cross-sectional data in appropriate populations could be used to construct BMI percentiles linking BMI values at age 5 to those at age 18 (or 21) that would correspond with adult BMI values reflecting optimal health (e.g., that would correspond to adult BMI values between 21 and 23 kg/m2).
Seidell
Jacob C
JC
The authors are affiliated with the Institute for Health Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam. jaap.seidell@falw.vu.nl
Doak
Colleen M
CM
de Munter
Jeroen S L
JS
Kuijper
Lothar D J
LD
Zonneveld
Cor
C
D050154:Adiposity; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; D002648:Child; D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012015:Reference Standards; D012016:Reference Values; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States; D014944:World Health Organization