The growth of Portuguese and Cape Verdean infants aged 0-1 year living in Greater Lisbon, Portugal in 1993-1996.

Objective: To document the growth of Portuguese and Cape Verdean infants living in Greater Lisbon, Portugal according to the WHO 2006 Growth Standard.

Methods: Mixed effects models were applied to serial weight, length, BMI, head circumference and triceps and subscapular skin-fold thickness data from 263 infants (134 Portuguese, 129 Cape Verdean) aged 0.01-1.08 years. Models tested systematic differences between ethnic groups. Individual monthly estimates were converted to Z-scores and plotted.

Results: There was no significant difference in growth curves between ethnic groups, except for subscapular skin-fold growth in girls; at 1 year of age Cape Verdeans had a 1 mm advantage. Despite growth in BMI against the WHO standard being characterized by apparent accelerated growth and final Z-scores close to the 75(th) centile, triceps Z-scores were consistently low and subscapular Z-scores roughly approximated the 50(th) centile after age 7 months.

Conclusions: Cape Verdean infants may develop higher levels of adiposity than Portuguese infants for the same BMI, a phenomenon common in children from developing nations. Because infants had high BMI but low skin-fold values against the WHO standard, research is needed to understand how change over age in BMI according to the WHO standard reflects changes in body composition.