Growth of Belgian and Norwegian children compared to the WHO growth standards: prevalence below -2 and above +2 SD and the effect of breastfeeding

Abstract

There are significant deviations in the proportion of children outside normal limits (±2 SD) of the WHO standards. This was true for all children, including those who were exclusively breastfed. Hence, adoption of the WHO growth charts could have consequences for clinical decision-making. These findings advocate the use of national references in Belgium and Norway, also for breastfed children.