Physical growth standards in six- to twelve-year-old children in Mashhad, Iran.

BACKGROUND Growth is an increase in the physical dimensions and its result is a quantitative change in the body. Development is a progressive increase in the skills and functional capacity of a child and its result is a qualitative change in a child's function. METHODS This investigation was a descriptive, decompositive, and observative study, which was performed on a random group of 5,378, 6- to 12-year-old children in 45 schools in the urban population of Mashhad, Khorasan Province, Iran. RESULTS The height and weight averages of the studied children were more than the averages of Nelson's Textbook of Pediatrics. However, as age increased, the height and weight averages of the studied children became less than the averages of Nelson. CONCLUSION To accelerate children's physical growth, we should closely follow up on factors which could fortify children and affect their growth.