The World Health Organization (WHO) has disseminated a new pattern of child growth which shows the scientific data and the method or orientation that should be followed for a child to grow properly. According to this new pattern, all children in the world have the same growth potential, a child from Brazil, Spain or Africa with adequate growth conditions from birth, guarantee an adequate development.
Differences in child growth up to the age of five depend on nutrition, the mode of feeding, the environment around them and health care, rather than the possible genetic or ethnic factors.
The importance of this new pattern lies in being able to determine if the child's care is adequate with regard to nutrition, basic needs or health. In this way, obesity, malnutrition or other causes can be detected quickly and early in the child's life. Thanks to this new pattern, according to the WHO Director-General, it will be possible to reduce the mortality and disease rates of infants and young children. The pattern is the result of intense research that began in 1997 through a Multicenter study on the Growth Pattern for a total of 8,000 children from different countries, with an optimal environment base for adequate growth, such as good care in health, that the mother is not a smoker, etc.
The growth chart used so far was from the National Center for Health Statistics / WHO, presented some difficulties, such as the lack of a solid basis for evaluation based on international standards and norms.
Thanks to this new pattern, developed with the greatest coherence, criteria and guidelines, the results of breastfeeding and complementary feeding can be optimally evaluated. In addition, this table will be an essential instrument for an improvement in nutritional or health care for children around the world.
Now WHO asks all countries and institutions to adopt this table for greater benefit in the lives of children. A new study or new measures that guarantee the well-being of the little ones that will make the world is always welcome.
