OBJECTIVE: The World Health Organization (WHO), in 2007, proposed a growth reference standard from five to 19 years to be used in continuation to the 2006 one (for children younger than five years-old). This growth chart shows a satisfactory adjustment at five years with the 2006 curve. This study aims to compare WHO references with the growth observed in Brazilian preschool children. METHODS: 2,830 children between three and six years old from Taubaté and Santo André cities, in São Paulo State, Brazil, were studied regarding weight, height and body mass index (BMI). The 5th, 50th and 95th percentiles (P) were calculated in several ages for both genders and compared to the WHO reference values. RESULTS: Concerning height, the WHO reference values were closer to or a little higher than the Brazilian studied samples until five years. At this time, an opposed tendency was noticed with WHO height percentiles becoming progressively below the Brazilian samples until the age of seven. For weight and BMI in all considered ages, the 5thP and the 50thP of the WHO referential were slightly lower than the children's ones, but the 95thP shows a trend of a progressively lower growth close to seven years: the BMI 95thP from the preschool samples were around 4kg/m² higher than WHO values. CONCLUSIONS: The use of WHO reference growth chart will produce a lower prevalence of malnutrition and short stature between five and seven years and, at the same time, an important rise of obesity prevalence between ages three and seven.
growth; child, preschool; anthropometry; reference values; World Health Organization
