Growth Charts¶
WHO Growth Charts¶
WHO has provided growth charts to help parents and caregivers understand and record the growth and development of their children1.
CDC Growth Charts¶
The CDC has also provided growth charts for children in the United States3.
Differences Between WHO and CDC Growth Charts¶
There is a big difference between the WHO and CDC growth charts[^cdc_who_growth_charts].
| WHO Growth Charts | CDC Growth Charts | |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | International standard for infants and young children | children in the United States (1963 to 1994) |
| Condition | "how healthy infants and young children should grow under optimal environmental and health conditions"2 | "Do not imply that the represented growth pattern is healthy"2 |
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“The WHO Child Growth Standards,” WHO. Available: https://www.who.int/tools/child-growth-standards/standards. [Accessed: May 31, 2025] ↩
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CDC, “Comparing Growth Chart Methodologies,” Growth Chart Training, Sep. 25, 2024. Available: https://www.cdc.gov/growth-chart-training/hcp/using-growth-charts/who-methodology.html#:~:text=What%20to%20know,children%20in%20the%20United%20States. [Accessed: May 31, 2025] ↩↩
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“Growth Charts,” CDC Growth Charts, Oct. 15, 2024. Available: https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/cdc-growth-charts.htm. [Accessed: May 31, 2025] ↩