title: Colombian reference growth curves for height, weight, body mass index and head circumference.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Published Growth studies from Latin America are limited to growth references from Argentina and Venezuela. The aim of this study was to construct reference growth curves for height, weight, body mass index (BMI) and head circumference of Colombian children in a format that is useful for following the growth of the individual child and as a tool for public health.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective measurements from 27 209 Colombian children from middle and upper socio-economic level families were processed using the generalised additive models for location, scale and shape (GAMLSS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Descriptive statistics for length and height, weight, BMI and head circumference for age are given as raw and smoothed values. Final height was 172.3 cm for boys and 159.4 cm for girls. Weight at 18 years of age was 64.0 kg for boys and 54 kg for girls. Growth curves are presented in a ± 3 SD format using logarithmic axes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The constructed reference growth curves are a start for following secular trends in Colombia and are also in the presented layout an optimal clinical tool for health care.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, FundaciónCardioinfantil, Instituto de cardiología, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Durán
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Merker
authors.affiliation: Research Department, Fundación Cardioinfantil, Instituto de cardiología, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Germán
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Briceño
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Eugenia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Colón
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Department, Fundación Cardioinfantil, Instituto de cardiología, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Dionne
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Line
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Verónica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Abad
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Unidad Médica Villa Country, Barranquilla, Colombia.
authors.forename: Kenny
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Del Toro
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, FundaciónCardioinfantil, Instituto de cardiología, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chahín
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.
authors.forename: Audrey Mary
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Matallana
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, FundaciónCardioinfantil, Instituto de cardiología, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lema
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Universidad del Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Mauricio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Llano
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Department, Fundación Cardioinfantil, Instituto de cardiología, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Céspedes
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hagenäs
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003105:Colombia; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D057238:Growth Charts; D006257:Head / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012016:Reference Values
keywords: Body height; Body mass index; Colombia; Head circumference; Reference growth curve