title: Systematic review of the methodological quality of studies designed to create neonatal anthropometric charts.
abstract: Babies all over the world are assessed at birth using neonatal anthropometric charts as a matter of clinical routine. This systematic review evaluated the methodological quality of studies designed to create neonatal anthropometric charts and to highlight features in the charts that could affect clinical decision-making and comparisons between populations. The variety and quality of available charts could affect how newborns at risk are identified, together with the indications for treatment, especially nutritional interventions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The studies that generated the charts currently recommended for clinical use have major methodological limitations and international and regional comparisons are very difficult.
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Unit, Dipartimento di Scienze della Sanità Pubblica e Pediatriche, Università degli Studi di Torino, Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giuliani
authors.affiliation: Nuffield Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Oxford Maternal & Perinatal Health Institute, Green Templeton College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.|Centre for Statistics in Medicine, Botnar Research Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ohuma
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Spada
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Unit, Dipartimento di Scienze della Sanità Pubblica e Pediatriche, Università degli Studi di Torino, Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bertino
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Health, College of Food and Agriculture, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, UAE.
authors.forename: Ayesha S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Al Dhaheri
authors.affiliation: Centre for Statistics in Medicine, Botnar Research Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Douglas G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Altman
authors.affiliation: Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, USA.|National Institutes of Health/Department of Health and Human Services, Detroit, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Agustin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Conde-Agudelo
authors.affiliation: Nuffield Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Oxford Maternal & Perinatal Health Institute, Green Templeton College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Stephen H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.affiliation: Nuffield Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Oxford Maternal & Perinatal Health Institute, Green Templeton College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Villar
authors.affiliation: Nuffield Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Oxford Maternal & Perinatal Health Institute, Green Templeton College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cheikh Ismail
mesh_terms: D000886:Anthropometry; D057238:Growth Charts; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn
keywords: Neonatal anthropometric charts; Newborn head circumference; Newborn length; Newborn weight; Systematic review