Growth status of Jordanian schoolchildren in military-funded schools

Objective: To study the growth status of Jordanian boys and girls in compar ison with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) growth charts. Design: Cross-sectional study. Subjects and data collection: A total of 5826 boys and 1414 girls. aged 6,5 -17.5 v, were included in the study. Height and weight were measured. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated as weight (kg) divided by the square of the height (m). Socioeconomic data were collected using a structured questionn aire. Results: The height-for-age values fluctuated between tile 5th and 10th per centiles of the CDC for both sexes, and their after the age of 8.5 and 14.5 y for boys and girls, respectively, values were just above the 10th percen tile. The body; weight-for-age values were just above the 25th percentile f or boys and fluctuated between the 25th and 50th percentiles for girls: the n after tile age of 14.5 and 12.5 v for boy and girls, respectively, values fluctuated between;he 25th and 50th percentiles for boys and just above tl ;e 50th percentile for girls of rile CDC values. BMI values for boys were j ust above the 50th percentile of the C:DC and for girls values fluctuated b etween the 50th and 75th percentiles until the age of 13.5. then values mat ched the 75th percentile of the CBC. Conclusion: The height of Jordanian children ranges from the 5th to the 10t h percentile of the CDC reference values during schools years. Girls have a tendency toward obesity after puberty.