UK-WHO chart source data




Introduction


The UK–World Health Organization (UK-WHO) 0–4-year-old charts were officially launched on 11 May 2009. Any child born after that date should be plotted on a UK-WHO growth chart. Children born before 11 May 2009 are already plotted on British 1990 (UK90) charts, and subsequent measurements will continue to be plotted using those charts. There will be no switchover of existing children to the new UK-WHO charts. After age 4 we will revert to using UK90 charts.


The source data for these charts are included in two spreadsheets as LMS tables. Together they define the UK-WHO growth charts, containing LMS values by age. If the data are needed in centile or SDS look-up format they can be accessed via the LMSgrowth Excel add in (see below). We have also included data not yet incorporated into a paper chart – for example, body mass index (BMI) and head circumference beyond 2 years.


These data and the LMSgrowth software can be freely used without charge as long as their source is acknowledged in any publications or products using them. Users may not claim any IP rights over them, derive financial gain from supplying the data to others, seek to restrict use of the data by others or use them for the purposes of advertising or promoting other products. Notwithstanding this limited grant of rights, the original copyright notices must continue to be reproduced in any copies of these materials.




Data files


There are two data files, each made up of three sections: a birth section, based on UK90 reference data, a postnatal section from 2 weeks to 4 years copied from the WHO standard, and for completeness the 4–20 years section from the UK90 reference.



UK_WHO_term.xls


Average values at birth for weight, length and head circumference (not BMI) for all term births (gestations 37–42 weeks) computed from the UK90 reference data base ( ).


Acknowledgement statements using these data should specify the data source as: British 1990 reference data, reanalysed 2009.


This is combined with the WHO standard for weight, BMI and head circumference from 2 weeks to 4 years, for length from 2 weeks to 2 years and height from 2 to 4 years. It is shown by week to 13 weeks and then by calendar month. They are exactly the same data as the LMS tables accessed from the WHO website ( http://www.who.int.easyaccess2.lib.cuhk.edu.hk/childgrowth/standards/ ) except that the data from birth to 2 weeks are omitted.


Acknowledgement statements using these data should specify the data source as: WHO Child Growth Standards ( ).


The British 1990 section runs from 4 to 20 years by month, and includes height, weight, BMI and head circumference (to 18/17 years in boys/girls).


Acknowledgement statements using these data should specify the data source as: British 1990 reference data ( ).



UK_WHO_preterm.xls


Weight and head circumference at birth by gestation from 23 to 42 weeks and length at birth from 25 to 42 weeks, computed from the UK90 reference database and shown by week ( ).


Acknowledgement statements using these data should specify the data source as: British 1990 reference data, reanalysed 2009.


This is combined with the WHO standard from 2 weeks post-term, and the British 1990 reference from 4 years, as described above.




Use of data files


These files should be used as follows:


Term infants


These are infants born at or beyond 37 completed weeks’ gestation. UK_WHO_term.xls should be used for all term infants, with no adjustment for gestation. Centiles should not be computed between birth and 2 weeks.


Preterm infants


These are infants born before 37 completed weeks’ gestation. UK_WHO_preterm.xls should be used for all preterm infants for birth and subsequent measurements, using gestationally corrected age.


Gestationally corrected age


This is actual age − (40 − gestation at birth).


Note this age will be negative until the expected date of delivery is reached.




Use of LMSgrowth software


This software can be used to access the above files and manipulate growth data as required.


Files required for this are downloadable from:



http://www.healthforallchildren.com/index.php/shop/category-list/Software


Instructions on installation of Excel add-in LMSgrowth




  • 1

    Copy the data files above to the Excel start-up folder




    • c:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\XLStart for Windows 2000/XP or earlier versions of Office



    • c:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office 10\XLStart for Office XP or /Applications/Microsoft Office/Office/Startup/Excel for Mac OS X



  • 2

    Copy growth.xla, growth.hlp and growth.cnt to another directory, e.g. c:\growth in Windows


  • 3

    Start Excel, click File|New, then click Tools|Add-ins|Browse to locate growth.xla and click OK to confirm.



The Growth add-in program is then installed. You will see the LMSgrowth menu appear on the menu bar. Acknowledgement statements for this add-in should read: LMSgrowth programme version x.xx, authors Huiqi Pan and Tim Cole, copyright MRC 2002–10.




What LMSgrowth does


For those wanting to reproduce the workings of LMSgrowth in software, its algorithm to convert measurements to z -scores is as follows:


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Apr 21, 2019 | Posted by in PEDIATRICS | Comments Off on UK-WHO chart source data

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