September 9, 2010
With support from the American Academy of Pediatrics and National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a recommendation that U.S. clinicians use the 2006 World Health Organization (WHO) international growth charts rather than the 2000 CDC growth charts for children 0 to 23 months of age. When using the WHO growth charts to assess growth, use of the 2.3rd and 97.7th percentiles (+2 standard deviations) is recommended, rather than the 5th and 95th percentiles. The CDC growth charts should continue to be used for the assessment of growth in persons 2 to 19 years of age.

WHO Growth Charts

• Birth to 24 months: Boys Weight-for-length percentiles and Head circumference-for-age percentiles (PDF)

• Birth to 24 months: Boys Length-for-age percentiles and Weight-for-age percentiles (PDF)

• Birth to 24 months: Girls Weight-for-length percentiles and Head circumference-for-age percentiles (PDF)

• Birth to 24 months: Girls Length-for-age percentiles and Weight-for-age percentiles (PDF)

CDC Growth Charts

• Children 2 to 20 years: Boys Stature-for-age and Weight-for-age (PDF)

• Children 2 to 20 years: Boys BMI-for-age (PDF)

• Children 2 to 20 years: Girls Stature-for-age and Weight-for-age (PDF)

• Children 2 to 20 years: Girls BMI-for-age (PDF)

For more information on these new recommendations, visit the CDC website.