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Here are two other sets of Chinese growth charts located more recently.These charts are from a 1993 survey taken in Hong Kong. The data are intermediate between the 1965 growth charts below and current American growth charts. The other set of growth charts are from the website of an adoption agency in Taiwan. These appear to be growth charts from a Taiwan source. These charts only cover from 0 - 6 years of age. These are between the 1993 Hong Kong values and the 1965 Hong Kong values. Note that these charts are given with height in centimeters (cm) and weight in kilograms (kg). To convert, multiply height in inches times 2.54 to get centimeters. For weight, divide weight in pounds by 2.2 to get kilograms.
But which one is right? The correct answer is that all of them are correct for the population that was measured to produce the data in the first place. The real question is which charts are closer to mainland China values for children adopted after 1990. That question does not have an answer that I know of. The real important information is not the absolute placement but whether your child is growing normally and maintaining her or his place along the growth curve over time.
The growth charts below are extracted from an original scientific publication with growth data for Chinese boys and girls. The paper is: "Standards of Height and Weight of Southern Chinese Children"; K.S.F Chang, Marjorie M.C. Lee, W.D. Low, Sylvia Chui, and Mary Chow; Far East Medical Journal, 1 101-109 (1965). The data are derived from measurements of ethnic Chinese girls and boys in Hong Kong in the early 1960s. At this time, the parents of these children were almost exclusively immigrants from Southern China, mostly Guangdong Province. The data from this paper give the growth data for height and weight, the source of the data for head circumference growth rates is still unknown at this time.
These charts and tables may be very useful if your pediatrician does not have access to such data. Please remember that the information derived from a growth chart is only one factor in evaluating a child's general health. Data from these charts should be used in conjunction with other information, not in isolation. Diet, environment and other influences can affect a child's growth rate, and small size or weight is not, in itself, indicative of poor health. Conversely, "normal" size or weight is not necessarily a conclusive indicator of good health. Use this information in consultation with your pediatrician and consider all available information.
Note:The term 'supine' means lying down.
Height graph for girls, ages 1 month to 18 months.
Height graph for boys, ages 1 month to 18 months.
Height graph for girls, ages 1 to 5 years.
Height graph for boys, ages 1 to 5 years.
Height graph for girls, ages 6 years to 18 years.
Height graph for boys, ages 6 years to 18 years.
Weight graph for girls, ages 1 month to 18 months.
Weight graph for boys, ages 1 months to 18 months.
Weight graph for girls, ages 1 to 5 years.
Weight graph for boys, ages 1 to 5 years.
Weight graph for girls, ages 6 years to 18 years.
Weight graph for boys, ages 6 years to 18 years.
Head circumference graph for infant girls, ages 1 month to 5 years.
Head circumference graph for girls, ages 6 years to 18 years.