Comparison of growth pattern in children under 6 years with standard National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)

Background: One of the applicable methods in determination of nutritional status and
health is surveillance and assessment of physical growth. The attention to growth of
children can be determined failure to thrive and protein energy malnutrition (PEM) in
primary period of life. According to above stated, the objective of this study was to detect
percentile of body weight and height children under 6 years, in Zahedan and its
comparison with the standard NCHS.
Methods and Materials: In a descriptive – analytical, cross-sectional study 4500
children under 6 years (2250 girls and 2250 boys) referred to treatment and health
centers were selected by proportional and randomized method from 5 area of Zahedan.
The body weight and height were measured, Statistical analysis were applied using SPSS.
Results: The findings showed weight growth in girls were higher than the boys in third
and fifth percentiles of one year old, but the body weight of boys was higher than that of
the girls. The variations of body weight and height indices were very much and a different
degree of PEM was in our population. On the basis of weight index for age 21.9% and
29.7% of the girls and boys between 61–72 month old were under 3rd percentile, 5.1%
girls and 5.8% boys were more than 97th percentile in comparison with the standard
NCHS. On the basis of as: height for age 31% and 36.5% of girls and boys between 61-
72 month respectively were under 3rd percentile (stunting). According to the percentile of
height for age there was not a significant difference between different age groups in boys
(P>0.05). According to 3rd percentile the trend of height growth in the boys were higher
than that in girls. In the boys, with age increase the percent of under weight, wasting and
stunting cases were more than those in girls (P<0.0001).On the basis of different mean in
percentile of body weight and height in the boys and girls in comparison with the
standard NCHS, there were chronic PEM (stunting)and acute PEM (under weight) in the
children. There were PEM in the boys more than girls.
Conclusions: The results showed that NCHS standard could not be applied for
determination of weight and height in all different groups of Iranian children, especially
our population had different variation of epidemiologic and demographic characteristics.
Hence, for more precise assessment it is recommended to design longitudinal study in the
population.