Growth curves of anthropometric indices in a general population of French children and comparison with reference data

Abstract

Background: The description of growth patterns of the different anthropometric measurements mainly used in epidemiological studies is useful to better understand the development of obesity in children and its consequences. Objective: Our aim was to establish growth curves of anthropometric indices in a general population of French children born during the 1980s and to compare them with the French reference curves based on children born in the 1950s. Design: As part of the Fleurbaix Laventie Ville Santé Studies I and II (FLVS), 441 girls and 467 boys were examined at least twice between 1993 and 2001. Height, weight and four skinfold thicknesses were measured. Body mass index (BMI), sum of peripheral and truncal skinfolds and truncal-to-peripheral ratio were calculated. Mean growth curves from ages 5 to 17 years were assessed for these indices, calculating means and 95% confidence interval per 1 year age group and by gender. Results: Trajectories with age differed importantly according to the index considered; BMI was the one with the smallest difference between genders and the most linear shape with age. From the age of 5 years and after, the FLVS children were on average taller and had a higher subcutaneous adiposity than children born 30 years earlier. Truncal-to-peripheral ratio was higher in our population; this difference became more marked with puberty in girls. Discussion: This study suggests the existence of a secular trend towards a precocious accelerated growth, and a more truncal adiposity distribution, especially in girls. It is a disquieting trend considering its expected consequences on adult health.

Should the WHO Growth Charts Be Used in France?

“…This was more visible in girls as puberty physiologically ends earlier than in boys. [36,37] It must be noted that the French references were based on a smaller sample (171 children at the end of growth) than the sample assembled for this study, and it is possible that some of the growth patterns were peculiar to this small sample.…”

Longitudinal Modelling of Body Mass Index from Birth to 14 Years

“…Our proposed model of BMI over this time period provides an opportunity for the examination of growth patterns and the impact of other, yet untested, covariates which may assist in the understanding of the development of obesity [31]. Parents often observe children undergoing increased hunger and appetite as well as weight gain, followed by decreased appetite and height growth or episodes of spurt and lag [32].…”

Body mass index trajectories from ages 1 to 20: Results from two nationally representative canadian longitudinal cohorts

“…Model fit was based on five criteria: BIC is a relative measure of model fit where an increase in BIC of an alternative model (j) relative to a null model (i) is indicative of a better fit if e BICi‐BICj < 1/10 ; entropy ranges from 0 to 1 and is a measure of how well individuals are classified into their groups; a higher value indicates better fit ; average posterior probability measures, for each group, how well individuals are classified; a value >0.7 indicates good fit ; odds of correct classification is a measure of assignment accuracy; a higher value (>5) indicates better fit ; and biological plausibility consists of examining the extent to which current scientific evidence supports the identified trajectories. Trajectories were compared to WHO BMI cutoffs for overweight and obese .…”

“…To date, much of the research on determinants of obesity is based on cross‐sectional studies that do not facilitate investigations of individual BMI changes over time, or the determinants of such changes. Most longitudinal studies to date rely on analytic methods that assume homogenous growth (i.e., all individuals within a population or subpopulation have the same pattern of growth over time) . However, these methods, which include multilevel models, cannot uncover the individual trajectories that exist within a population.…”