Graphical displays of growth data

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Abstract
An informative and visually pleasing way of displaying growth information on groups of children is presented. The technique allows for simultaneous comparisons of subgroups of children from a particular survey or study with international growth standards and with other subgroups within the study or the survey. The technique consists of showing, in the form of a boxplot, the median, 5th, 25th, 75th, and 95th percentiles of the distribution of growth parameters. These are characteristics little affected by extreme or deviant values. The plots also show the upper and lower extremes and the mean value of the distribution. Boxplots representing age-specific distributions may be shown on a single graph using the abscissa labeled as the “age” axis. Anthropometric indices for different groups of children may then be compared with one another for specific age intervals and over time. This graphical method also enables establishing local anthropometric norms without the considerable expense and difficulty of generating local growth standards.

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