Key Recommendations
Based on the findings the Hong Kong Growth Study 2020, the project team made the following recommendations concerning appropriate growth references for Hong Kong children:
  1. The WHO2006 Child Growth Standards (WHO2006) are suitable for Hong Kong children 0-5 years and presumably for non-ethnic-Chinese children from 0-5 years. Healthcare professionals need to be aware of the lower weight of Hong Kong infants below 2 months and shorter children aged 3-5 years compared to WHO2006 to ensure correct interpretations when using these charts.

  2. The HK2020 Growth References (HK2020) are suitable for Hong Kong children 0-18 years. Healthcare professionals need to be aware that Age 0 represents the birth parameters of infants born at 38-39 gestational weeks instead of 40 to ensure correct interpretations when using these references.

  3. Including both WHO2006 and HK2020 local References in electronic growth monitoring systems would allow the frontline clinicians to use the most suitable charts for each child.

  4. Healthcare providers/organisations can decide whether or not to prioritize a particular set of growth charts (WHO-HK2020, HK2020 or WHO2006) for growth monitoring of Hong Kong Children.

  5. Health professionals (and parents) must be educated on how to interpret children's growth using the various newly recommended growth charts.
Study Report

Check out the Final Reports from the website of Research Fund Secretariat, Health Bureau.