Several countries (36) reported newly introducing body mass index- for- age. Most countries opted for sex- specific charts and the z- score classification. Many redesigned their child health records and updated recommendations on infant feeding, immunization and other health messages. The scrutiny that the WHO standards have undergone is without precedent in the history of developing and applying growth assessment tools. Governments set up committees to scrutinize the new standards before deciding to adopt them and professional groups conducted thorough examination of the standards. The detailed evaluation allowed to assess the impact of the new standards and document their robustness and benefits for child health programmes. In sum, 5 years after their release, the WHO growth standards have been widely implemented. Countries have adopted and harmonized best practices in child growth
assessment, and established the breastfed infant as the norm against which to assess compliance with children’s right to achieve their full genetic growth potential.