Growth Charts for Monitoring Physical Change of Nepalese Children

Abstract

This study aimed to develop growth standard charts of Nepalese children by analyzing their anthropometric measurements. The research focused on assessing physical growth variations among major caste/ethnic groups in the Koshi Zone of Nepal. Six key anthropometric indices- height, weight, chest circumference, sitting height, bi-acromial breadth, skin-fold thickness - were measured to determine differences across caste/ethnic groups in Sunsari and Sankhuwasava districts. For growth charts development, height and weight measurements from 646 boys and 645 girls aged 2-6 years were analyzed. The LMS method (Cole & Green,1992) was applied to calculate standardized percentiles and generate smooth growth curves. Based on the clustered analysis of seven caste/ethnic groups, two distinct clusters were identified: (i)Brahman-Kshetri and Yadav-Koiri, and (ii) Kami-Mushar. Separate height and weight growth charts were developed for each cluster. The different percentile values revealed that the children from the Brahman-Kshetri and Yadav-Koiri clusters were taller and heavier than those from the Kami-Mushar cluster. These findings highlight the need for distinct growth standards to accurately monitor the growth of children in multi-ethnic nations like Nepal. The study provides recommended growth charts tailored to Nepal’s caste/ethnic diversity, emphasizing the importance of population specific references in child growth assessment.