The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is using the Internet (http://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/) as a distribution point for the new pediatric growth charts as well as related tools and training materials to reach a national audience of diverse health care professionals. The revised growth charts replace the 1977 National Center for Health Statistics charts that have been routinely used as a screening and research tool to assess the nutritional status of infants, children and adolescents in the United States. The addition of the Body Mass Index (BMI)-for-age charts is a significant change in the growth charts. CDC recommends BMI-for-age as the preferred method to assess overweight and underweight in children age 2 to 20. Because treatment of overweight is difficult, a new classification for prevention, at risk of overweight, has been defined as between the 85th and 95th percentiles using the BMI-for-age charts. Recommendations to use BMI-for-age and the established cut points have significant practice and policy implications for programs and clinical practices, serving children and adolescents age 2 through 20, that have traditionally used other anthropometric indicators. Internet distribution encourages implementation of the new growth charts and recommendations. An overview of the growth charts, tools and interactive training modules available on the Internet will be presented. Additionally, several tools and methods to determine BMI for children have been tested in various settings for reliability and ease of use. Results of the BMI tools pilot study will be discussed as will the policy implications of the CDC recommendations. See www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/
Learning Objectives: 1. Know where to find the new CDC growth charts and related tools and training on the Internet; 2. Recognize that BMI-for-age is the recommended method to assess relative weight in children age 2 to 20; 3. Identify various tools and methods available to determine BMI in children; 4. Recognize the practice and policy implications of CDC recommendations.
Keywords: Child Health, CDC Guidelines
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.