Need for India-Specific Growth Charts
Childhood growth, particularly growth during the first two years of life, has important implications for the short term and long-term health outcomes, work productivity, and cognitive capacity of individuals and society at large.
There is an urgent need for updated, India-specific growth charts, as early childhood growth—especially in the first two years—has lasting effects on health, cognition, and productivity.
Given India’s distinct "thin-fat" phenotype and regional growth variations, a nationally representative Indian Growth Reference Study is essential for accurate growth assessment and informed health policies.