DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
News Release (2007/0235) issued by The Government News Network on 13
August 2007
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]