Height-for-age standards

The World Health Organization (WHO) has produced a comprehensive set of growth stan­dards for children. These standards are based on studies of children living in 6 nations on 5 continents under optimal conditions with respect to health and nutrition. The table dis­plays the percentile distribution of height, in centimeters, at 3-month intervals, for boys ages 2 through 5 according to the WHO model. In a model population—a large population of boys ages 2 through 5 that conforms to the WHO growth standards—for n = 3.15, 50. 85. and 97, the nth percentile in height for a given age is the unique height among boys of that age that is greater than or equal to n percent, and less than or equal to (100 - n) percent, of heights of boys of that age.

Weight-for-height standards

The graph shows the percentile distribution of weight, in kilograms, for heights from 80 cm to 120 cm. for boys ages 2 through 5, according to the WHO model. In a model population, for n = 3,15,50,85, and 97. the nth percentile in weight for a given height is the unique weight among boys of that height that is greater than or equal to n percent, and less than or equal to (100 - n) percent, of weights of boys of that age.