Physical growth of 6-18 years old school children in relation to the national center for health statistics standard in Shiraz, Iran

ABSTRACT

Anthropometric indices were studied in 3534 [2.5% of the total population of school children in Shiraz, Iran] healthy 6-18 years old school children comprising 2037 boys and 1497 girls, in Shiraz, Iran. The school children were selected by proportional multi-stage cluster random sampling. National Center for Health Statistics [NCHS] reference population. The weight for age and height for age indices in the present study were less than those of NCHS. Median heights and weights of children in Shiraz lie approximately on the 25th centile of NCHS standard. These differences may reflect both nutritional and ethnic variations between children in the present study and NCHS data. Adolescent growth spurt occurred in girls around the age of 10 years. Peak Height Velocity [PHV] was 8.41 cm and 10 cm/year in boys and girls, respectively. The present study may be used as a source of reference for school children in Iran