OBJECTIVE: Growth standards are indicators for normal growth of the children and growth charts are important tools for their growth monitoring. Children from different populations are different in their growth pattern, it is important to create national standards for the growth of children in each population to develop local growth charts, and since these were not available in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), the aim of this study was to construct national growth standards and to develop growth charts for 0-5-years Saudi children. METHODS: A cross-sectional study following World Health Organization (WHO) criteria in determining sample size was adopted, where by 24000 children from 5 regions in the KSA were selected during the period 1992 to 1995 to be the desired sample. One hundred and two Primary Health Care centers (PHCCs) were selected randomly from the 5 regions, from where the sample was drawn, and a special questionnaire was designed. Weight, height and head circumference were measured by standard procedures. RESULTS: The total number of children examined was 23821 (11913 boys and 11908 girls). Saudi (0-5-years) boys weight and height for age measurements were significantly different from girls. The same difference was found between urban and rural boys and girls and between boys and girls from the different regions of the country (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: These national standards derived from this study were used to develop national growth charts that are currently utilized to monitor growth in all Saudi health institutes.
OBJECTIVE: Growth standards are indicators for normal growth of the children and growth charts are important tools for their growth monitoring. Children from different populations are different in their growth pattern, it is important to create national standards for the growth of children in each population to develop local growth charts, and since these were not available in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), the aim of this study was to construct national growth standards and to develop growth charts for 0-5-years Saudi children. METHODS: A cross-sectional study following World Health Organization (WHO) criteria in determining sample size was adopted, where by 24000 children from 5 regions in the KSA were selected during the period 1992 to 1995 to be the desired sample. One hundred and two Primary Health Care centers (PHCCs) were selected randomly from the 5 regions, from where the sample was drawn, and a special questionnaire was designed. Weight, height and head circumference were measured by standard procedures. RESULTS: The total number of children examined was 23821 (11913 boys and 11908 girls). Saudi (0-5-years) boys weight and height for age measurements were significantly different from girls. The same difference was found between urban and rural boys and girls and between boys and girls from the different regions of the country (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: These national standards derived from this study were used to develop national growth charts that are currently utilized to monitor growth in all Saudi health institutes.
Authors: Mohammad I El Mouzan; Peter J Foster; Abdullah S Al Herbish; Abdullah A Al Salloum; Ahmad A Al Omar; Mansour M Qurachi Journal: Ann Saudi Med Date: 2010 Sep-Oct Impact factor: 1.526
Authors: Mohammad Issa El Mouzan; Ahamed Shaffi; Abdullah Al Salloum; Mansour M Alqurashi; Abdullah Al Herbish; Ahmad Al Omer Journal: Ann Saudi Med Date: 2017 Jan-Feb Impact factor: 1.526
Authors: Shaffi Ahamed Shaik; Mohammad Issa El Mouzan; Abdullah Abdulmohsin AlSalloum; Abdullah Sulaiman AlHerbish Journal: Ann Saudi Med Date: 2016 Jan-Feb Impact factor: 1.526