New Growth Charts for Taiwanese Children and Adolescents Based on World Health Organization Standards and Health-Related Physical Fitness
Pediatr Neonatol 2010;51(2):69−79
SPEC IAL ART IC L E
New Growth Charts for Taiwanese Children and Adolescents Based on World Health Organization Standards and Health-related Physical Fitness
Walter Chen1*, Mei-Hwei Chang2
1
Department of Pediatrics, China Medical University Beigang Hospital, Yulin and China Medical University College of Medicine, Taichung, Taiwan 2 Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
1. Growth Charts
Received: Jul 19, 2009 Revised: Aug 12, 2009 Accepted: Aug 17, 2009 KEY WORDS: body mass index; growth charts; health-related physical fitness; Taiwanese children; World Health Organization standards
Children are not small adults. Growth (changes in size of the body as a whole or of its separate parts) and development (changes of function) consist of unique processes from birth to adulthood. Growth charts for height, weight and body mass index (BMI) are indispensable tools for both pediatricians and healthcare providers. They constitute not only the basic tools required for clinical evaluation, but are also useful for the purposes of public health and preventive medicine. On May 8, 2009 the Bureau of Health Promotion, Department of Health (DOH), officially launched new growth charts for infants and pre-school children in Taiwan.1 These new growth charts, unlike previous population-based ones, were adapted from the World Health Organization (WHO) Child Growth Standards for 0−5 years of age.2 This report briefly describes the new methods (criterion-based approach) used to construct these standards and compares the new growth charts with the old ones. We also propose growth charts for children and adolescents over 5 years of age in Taiwan.
2. Old Growth Curves
Previous measurements of height and weight were generally conducted by sampling the entire population. Following the rapid economic development in Taiwan and the associated increases
SPEC IAL ART IC L E
New Growth Charts for Taiwanese Children and Adolescents Based on World Health Organization Standards and Health-related Physical Fitness
Walter Chen1*, Mei-Hwei Chang2
1
Department of Pediatrics, China Medical University Beigang Hospital, Yulin and China Medical University College of Medicine, Taichung, Taiwan 2 Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
1. Growth Charts
Received: Jul 19, 2009 Revised: Aug 12, 2009 Accepted: Aug 17, 2009 KEY WORDS: body mass index; growth charts; health-related physical fitness; Taiwanese children; World Health Organization standards
Children are not small adults. Growth (changes in size of the body as a whole or of its separate parts) and development (changes of function) consist of unique processes from birth to adulthood. Growth charts for height, weight and body mass index (BMI) are indispensable tools for both pediatricians and healthcare providers. They constitute not only the basic tools required for clinical evaluation, but are also useful for the purposes of public health and preventive medicine. On May 8, 2009 the Bureau of Health Promotion, Department of Health (DOH), officially launched new growth charts for infants and pre-school children in Taiwan.1 These new growth charts, unlike previous population-based ones, were adapted from the World Health Organization (WHO) Child Growth Standards for 0−5 years of age.2 This report briefly describes the new methods (criterion-based approach) used to construct these standards and compares the new growth charts with the old ones. We also propose growth charts for children and adolescents over 5 years of age in Taiwan.
2. Old Growth Curves
Previous measurements of height and weight were generally conducted by sampling the entire population. Following the rapid economic development in Taiwan and the associated increases