MEDICAL AREA   

Medicina dello Sport 2008 June;61(2):197-206

Copyright © 2008 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English, Italian

Healthy growth chart project. Part I.

Silvestrini B. ¹, Arpino M. ^{1, 2}, Ferrante M. ^{1, 2}, Musicco M. ^{1, 3}, Santilli G. ^{1, 2}

¹ Noopolis Foundation, Rome, Italy 2 Italian Olympic National Committee - CONI, Rome, Italy 3 National Research Center, Milan, Italy

Preliminary results of a pilot study of the Healthy Growth Chart project are presented. The aim of the project is to monitor the growth of schoolchildren. The study population was approximately 1 500 schoolchildren (age range, 8-12 years) residing in 14 regions in Italy. The subjects completed a questionnaire investigating body weight and height. Boys weighed more than girls until age 11 years and less after age 12 years. The prevalence of obesity was higher among boys than girls and higher in those residing in the southern than in the northern or central regions. Boys were taller than girls at age 8 years, shorter at age 9, the same height at age 10, taller at age 11, and shorter at age 12 years of age. This study supports the potential value of the Healthy Growth Chart project, but also reveals some weak points to be corrected.