Cross-sectional growth references and implications for the development of an international growth standard for school-aged children and adolescents
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Normative data are needed to create a reference that indicates optimal development of weight in relation to height and age, particularly in the face of the unfolding obesity epidemic. The body-mass index (BMI) has some serious limitations: it is a relatively poor predictor of current and future fatness. Currently, however, there are few available alternatives, with the possible exception of waist circumference or skinfolds. The use of cross-sectional references to construct a BMI-reference curve is problematic when there are period and cohort effects. Ideally, a reference would be based on longitudinal data in populations with little underweight, overweight, and obesity. In the meantime cross-sectional data in appropriate populations could be used to construct BMI percentiles linking BMI values at age 5 to those at age 18 (or 21) that would correspond with adult BMI values reflecting optimal health (e.g., that would correspond to adult BMI values between 21 and 23 kg/m2).
JOUR
Seidell, Jacob C.
Doak, Colleen M.
de Munter, Jeroen S. L.
Kuijper, Lothar D. J.
Zonneveld, Cor
2006
Food and Nutrition Bulletin
27
4 Suppl Growth Standard
S189-98
2007/03/17
0379-5721 (Print) 0379-5721 (Linking)
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