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Article

Updated Swiss Growth References 2025: No Height Differences, but BMI Variations Associated with Migration

Center for Paediatric Endocrinology Zurich (PEZZ), Moehrlistrasse 69, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland
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Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14(16), 5912; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14165912 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 18 July 2025 / Revised: 15 August 2025 / Accepted: 19 August 2025 / Published: 21 August 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Clinical Pediatrics)

Abstract

Background/Objectives: The 2019 Swiss growth references for height, weight, and BMI were based on a large dataset from the German-speaking part of Switzerland (Cohort 2019). The current study aimed to ensure national representativeness by proportionate amounts of additional data from the French-speaking (Suisse Romande) and Italian-speaking (Ticino) regions to validate the 2019 growth curves and to update the national growth references. It also investigated the influence of parental migration background on child growth. Methods: Anthropometric data from 43,290 children and adolescents—including 11,816 new cases—were analyzed (Cohort 2019 + 2025). Percentile curves were modeled using the Generalized Additive Models for Location, Scale, and Shape (GAMLSS) framework. Results: The extended dataset largely confirms the 2019 growth references. Variations in height percentiles were small and clinically negligible. Clinically relevant differences in BMI percentiles were observed in girls, with the most pronounced deviations—up to 0.8 kg/m2—at the 97th percentile. Analyses by parental migration background revealed relevant differences in BMI. Conclusions: The extended Swiss Growth References (Cohort 2019 + 2025) are robust and provide valid reference data for all Swiss children and adolescents, offering contemporary tools for decision-making in clinical practice. To maintain their validity over time, targeted updates are required, with special attention to demographic changes resulting from migration.
Keywords: growth references; growth curves; body mass index; percentiles; childhood obesity; public health growth references; growth curves; body mass index; percentiles; childhood obesity; public health

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MDPI and ACS Style

Eiholzer, U.; Stephan, A.; Dubinski, I.; Fritz, C.; Noordam, C. Updated Swiss Growth References 2025: No Height Differences, but BMI Variations Associated with Migration. J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14, 5912. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14165912

AMA Style

Eiholzer U, Stephan A, Dubinski I, Fritz C, Noordam C. Updated Swiss Growth References 2025: No Height Differences, but BMI Variations Associated with Migration. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2025; 14(16):5912. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14165912

Chicago/Turabian Style

Eiholzer, Urs, Anika Stephan, Ilja Dubinski, Christiane Fritz, and Cees Noordam. 2025. "Updated Swiss Growth References 2025: No Height Differences, but BMI Variations Associated with Migration" Journal of Clinical Medicine 14, no. 16: 5912. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14165912

APA Style

Eiholzer, U., Stephan, A., Dubinski, I., Fritz, C., & Noordam, C. (2025). Updated Swiss Growth References 2025: No Height Differences, but BMI Variations Associated with Migration. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 14(16), 5912. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14165912

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