Weight and Height Percentiles For 0-84- Month-Old Children in Kayseri - A Central Anatolian City in Turkey

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to present weight and height percentiles for Turkish children aged 0-84 months residing in Kayseri, Turkey and to compare these findings with national references and international standards. Methods: We used the data from the Anthropometry of Turkish Children aged 0-6 years (ATCA-06) study. This cross-sectional study conducted in Kayseri/Turkey between September 2009 and May 2010 included 2963 children (1491 girls, 1472 boys) aged 0-84 months. The centile curves were constructed using the LMS method.Results: The 3rd, 5th, 10th, 15th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 85th, 90th, 95th, and 97th percentiles and the LMS values for boys and girls were constructed. The 50th percentiles for weight and height of the children were compared with world health organization (WHO) standards and national data. Height and weight values in Kayseri children were lower than WHO standards and Istanbul references in the first year of life. At ages 1 to 4, weight values in both genders and height in boys were slightly higher than the national and international standards. Starting at age 4 years, the weight percentiles of Kayseri children were strikingly higher compared to the national and international standards and the boys were also taller.Conclusions: This study provides cross-sectional data for weight and height percentiles of Turkish children aged 0-84 months residing in Kayseri. These data reflect the growth status of healthy Kayseri children and also indicate that these children may be more prone to obesity than the Istanbul children. Since the above-mentioned data illustrate the current growth status of this population, we believe that they will serve as a basis for monitoring future trends.Conflict of interest:None declared.

Reference growth curves to identify weight status (underweight, overweight or obesity) in children and adolescents: systematic review

“…Of the eighty-six studies, thirty-nine (45 %) presented information about the study population (1,2,12,13,15,16,19,25,31–36,41–43,50,54,56–58,63–65,68,69,71,74,77,78,85,86,88,91–93,96,97) . The sample size of the studies ranged from 279 (71) to 232 140 participants (47) .…”

“…Twenty-nine studies took into account BM for age to elaborate reference growth curves for underweight, overweight and obesity in children and adolescents (1,2,11,20,25,30–33,38,42,46,51,58,63,64,68,69,71,72,77,77,79,80,85,86,88,88,91,94,96) . Twenty-five studies took into account height for age to elaborate reference growth curves for underweight, overweight and obesity in children and adolescents (1,2,2,11,20,20,30–33,38,42,51,63,64,68,69,72,77,79,80,85,86,88,91,94,96) .…”

Anthropometric Studies on the Turkish Population - A Historical Review

“…The studies on Kayseri children were conducted on healthy children and consisted of 2785 boys and 2942 girls aged 6 to 18 years and of 1472 boys and 1491 girls aged 0 to 84 months (72,73). Height and weight measurements were taken, and percentile growth charts to serve as references were constructed.…”

Weight for Length/Height Percentiles in Infants and Young Children in Kayseri/Turkey

“…These references have been updated in recent years, and also, data on new anthropometric measurements have been added (8,9,10). …”

“…In the last four decades, age-adjusted references of several anthropometric measurements of Turkish children and adolescents have been published. These references have been updated in recent years, and also, data on new anthropometric measurements have been added ( 8 , 9 , 10 ).…”