Growth curves for school age children and adolescents.

Growth curves are an essential tool in pediatric practice. Their value resides in helping to determine the degree to which physiological needs for growth and development are being met during the important childhood period. However, their usefulness goes far beyond assessing children’s nutritional status. Many governmental and United Nations agencies rely on growth charts for measuring the general well-being of populations, formulating health and related policies, and planning interventions and monitoring their effectiveness.