Maresh Growth Data
This data presents new reference values based on the interpolation of the classic Maresh (1970) dataset for use in calculating z-scores for growth studies or any other quantitative growth analysis. These new reference values reduce error due to rounding down of age to calculate z-scores using the Maresh data, which are particularly impactful for infants and younger children. Z-scores are an ideal tool for the comparison of growth across populations and can easily be used in meta-analyses. The updated values are available in , as well as instructions to use a script for . We hope that these updated reference values and the script will incentivize growth researchers to adopt z-scores. Through this and the reduction of error in z-score calculation, these new reference values will contribute to developing more accurate understandings of growth and health in the past.
Please see the corresponding paper for more information: Spake L & Cardoso HFV. (2020). Interpolation of the Maresh diaphyseal length data for use in quantitative analyses of growth. .