title: [Growth curves for breastfed infants in rural areas].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To construct the growth percentile curves of weight, length and head circumference-for-age for breastfeed infants in rural areas, and take them as the reference standards to evaluate growth of breastfed infants in rural areas.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data collected in the Longitudinal Study of Chinese Breastfed Infants Growth and Development from birth to 12 months of age in 6 well-being rural areas were used. The MLwiN2.25 was selected to construct the multilevel model to estimate the predicted values, and fit the percentiles reference curves (P3, P15, P50, P85, and P97) of weight, length and head circumference-for-age. The results of this study were compared with those of the Nine-city growth reference percentiles curves in China and with WHO growth reference percentiles curves.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percentiles reference curves of weight, length and head circumference-for-age for breastfeeding infants aged 0-12 months in rural areas were developed. Compared with the Nine-city growth reference, the P3 curves of weight-for-age and girls' length-for-age were higher by 0.02-0.39 kg, 0-0.42 kg and 0.27-1.15 cm. Compared with the WHO growth reference, the P3 curves of boys and girls were both at a high level.It was estimated that using Nine-city growth reference percentiles curves to evaluate the infants in rural areas could reduce the rates of underweight and girls' stunting; and using WHO growth reference percentiles curves could reduce all infants' underweight rates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The growth percentiles reference curves which were constructed by the longitudinal observational data and scientific method would have great significance in reflecting the development of breastfed infants, evaluating and guiding infants' growth in rural areas.
mesh_terms: D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002657:Child Development; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D057238:Growth Charts; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D055361:Multilevel Analysis; D012424:Rural Population; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors