WHOChild Growth Standards

The WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study (MGRS) was implemented between 1997 and 2003 to
develop growth standards for children below 5 years of age. The MGRS collected primary growth data
and related information from 8440 healthy breastfed infants and young children from diverse ethnic
backgrounds and cultural settings (de Onis et al., 2004a). The first set of the WHO Child Growth
Standards based on length/height, weight and age that describe the attained growth of healthy children
was released in April 2006. The second complementary set, based on head and arm circumference and
subscapular and triceps skinfolds, followed a year later (WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study
Group, 2006a; 2007). The standards are based on a prescriptive approach using well-defined criteria,
rigorous data-collection methods, sound data-management procedures, and state-of-the art statistical
methods (de Onis et al., 2004b; Borghi et al., 2006).