Objective:This study aimed to integrate the existing updated reference standards for the growth of Turkish infants and children and to compare these values with World Health Organization (WHO) reference data, data from some European countries, and also with previous local data. Weight, height, and head circumference measurements were obtained on 2,391 boys and 2,102 girls who were regular attenders of a well child clinic and on 1,100 boys and 1,020 girls attending schools in relatively well-off districts in İstanbul. Mean number of measurements per child was 8.2±3.6 in the age group 0-5 years and 5.5±3.3 in the age group 6-18 years. All children were from well-to-do families and all were healthy. All measurements with the exception of measurements at birth, which were based on reported values, were done by trained personnel.Methods:The LMS method was used in the analyses and in the construction of the percentile charts. There is an increase in weight for age and body mass index values for age starting in prepubertal ages, indicating an increasing trend for obesity.Results: Compared to WHO reference data, weight and height values in Turkish children were slightly higher in infants and in children younger than 5 years, while they showed similarity to those reported for children from Norway and Belgium. Head circumference values, which were slightly higher than the WHO references in the first 5 years, were comparable to the data on Belgian and Norwegian children in the first 9 years of life. At older ages, Turkish children showed higher values for head circumference.Conclusion:The relatively larger head circumference values were interpreted to reflect a genetic characteristic.

These results indicate that height growth in Turkish school-age children of high socio-economic level conforms to the updated growth data on US children. The data also show a secular upward trend in Turkey. Weight-for-age values indicate an increase in obesity. The results also point to the value of collecting and evaluating local growth data periodically.

This study presents data and curves for body mass index values in healthy Turkish children aged 6 to 18 y. The values are in compliance with those of Western countries.

Aim: To construct the body mass index reference curves for Turkish children aged 6 to 18 y, and to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity. Subjects and methods: Height and weight measurements of healthy schoolchildren (1100 boys, 1019 girls) were obtained biannually. Body mass index was calculated from 11 648 height and weight measurements. Centile curves were constructed using the LMS method. Results: The smoothed percentile values and curves for body mass index in Turkish children show that there is a constant increase in body mass index values towards adulthood, especially during the pubertal years, in both sexes. The prevalence of overweight is 25% and obesity 4% in boys at age 18 y. The percentage of overweight and obesity in girls at age 14 was 15% and 1%, respectively. The sample size was too small to come to any conclusion regarding these rates at 18 y of age. Conclusion: This study presents data and curves for body mass index values in healthy Turkish children aged 6 to 18 y. The values are in compliance with those of Western countries.