Anthropometric indices of failure to thrive

Abstract

Aims - To compare five anthropometric methods of classifying failure to thrive in order to ascertain their relative merits in predicting developmental, dietary, and eating problems. Methods - The five anthropometric methods were compared in 83 children with failure to thrive. Results - The methods were inconsistent in classification of severity, and no one method was superior in predicting problems. Conclusions - Weight alone, being the simplest, is still the most reasonable marker for failure to thrive and associated problems.