A study on the growth of infants from birth up to the age of two years in rural communities of Babol, 1998

Background and The evaluation of growth monitoring in children is one of the important sources of information to detect malnutrition. The objective of this study was to determine the trend of infant growth from birth to two years in rural communities of Babol and to compare it with NÇHS standard. This study was based on the existing data in growth monitoring system available in Babol communities under coverage of health centers. 429 registered births between 1996 to 1998 were selected using cluster sampling technique. Percentiles of height and weight were calculated and compared with NÇHS standard. Results show that, the weight in 67.5% of infants was between 50th and 97th percentile of NÇHS standard at first month. This figure declined by increasing the age in such a way that, in the weight percentile was between 50th and 97th NÇHS 45.2% at 6 months, 42.6% at 12 months and 44.2% at 24 months. When these figures were compared between boys and girls, 5% to 20% were less in girls than the boys. The results also show that the 50th percentile of weight for boys up to 12 months and for girls up to 6 months is higher than 50th percentiles of NÇHS standard, but then after, up to the age of 2 years becomes lower than 50th percentile of standard. Âlso height growth disorder starts at the age under 1 to 3 months, in such a way that at first month, the 50th percentile of height is close to NÇHS, but after 3 months deviates from NÇHS. Â significant difference was observed between 50th percentile of height and weight of the cases under our study and NÇHS (P<0.05). Çonclusion: The results indicate that Ïranian infants growth can not be evaluated with NÇHS standard. Hence it is necessary to provide national and local growth curves for Ïranian children.