.gif)
Department of Health and Social Care
 Printable version
|
 E-mail this to a friend
|
New report on Child Growth Standards welcomed
Department of Health to set up pilot study
A new report published today recommending the adoption of World Health Organisation (WHO) Child Growth Standards in the UK, has been welcomed by the Department of Health.
The joint report, by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), says WHO Growth Standards should be applied to children aged from 2 weeks to 24 months.
Current UK growth charts are based on predominantly formula fed babies and reflect "how babies were growing" in the UK. WHO charts prescribe "how babies should grow" under optimum conditions including exclusive breastfeeding for healthier outcomes.
WHO standards are based exclusively on breastfed infants and can be used for assessing and monitoring growth of all babies and encourage mothers to exclusively breastfeed for the first six months of a baby's life.
Breast milk is the best source of nutrition for babies and the Department of Health recommends exclusive breastfeeding up to the age of six months.
The Department is working with the RCPCH to pilot and test the practical aspects of implementation the new standards.
Dawn Primarolo, Public Health Minister said:
"We welcome this report from the Expert Group on Growth Standards. We are committed to promoting breastfeeding and these new standards will help alleviate mothers' concerns regarding the difference in growth patterns often observed between breastfed and formula-fed babies. Our next step is to consider the practical aspects of implementing them effectively.
"It's important that we field test the new standards and put in place appropriate training for users."
Professor Peter Aggett, chair, Standing Committee on Nutrition for the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health:
"The recommendations to adopt the WHO Standards for early life are an important means to support the exclusive breast feeding of babies in the first six months of life and the development of early growth patterns that could reduce the risk of these children becoming overweight and developing life threatening diseases in later life. It is crucial that all healthcare professionals are trained so that they are competent in using and interpreting the revised charts."
In July 2006, the Department asked SACN and the RCPCH for an opinion on the relevance of WHO growth standards to growth monitoring and population surveillance in the UK.
Recommendations in the report include:
- Adopting the new WHO standards from 2 weeks of age to 24 months and then transfer to UK references
- WHO Growth Standards describe the growth of infants in good health who were exclusively or predominantly breastfed for at least 4 months. They are applicable to all infants, whether breast or formula-fed. The new standards may help to establish exclusive breastfeeding as the norm in the first half of infancy.
- When compared to the UK1990 reference, the WHO Growth Standards depict a pattern of slower weight gain between 4 to 24 months and should be preferred to UK1990 references during this period. Current evidence suggests that such a pattern of growth could potentially reduce the risk of later obesity.
- The feasibility of using WHO Standards from 2 weeks of postnatal age to 24 months and UK1990 from 24 months onwards requires piloting and field-testing before being adopted.
- Additional training and guidance for child health professionals on the use and interpretation of WHO growth standards and UK1990 references for monitoring growth in clinical practice.
ENDS
Notes for Editors:
1. A copy of the report is available at http://www.sacn.gov.uk and http://www.rcpch.ac.uk
[ENDS]
