Reference, ages 2–20
The CDC growth chart, explained
If your child is over two, this is the reference their pediatrician's wall chart is built on — and the one GrowTall plots your measurements against.
The CDC 2000 growth charts are national reference curves for children ages 2–20, built from U.S. National Center for Health Statistics survey data. They describe how children in that population grew — GrowTall plots your measurements against them automatically.
A short history
The 2000 CDC growth charts were produced by the National Center for Health Statistics, revising the 1977 charts with newer national survey data. They include height-for-age, weight-for-age and BMI-for-age curves for children and adolescents from 2 to 20 years, plus separate infant charts from birth to 36 months.
What is on the chart
Each chart plots a measurement against age with curved percentile lines — typically the 3rd, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th and 97th. The 50th is the median of the reference population. A child's plotted points, joined over time, form the growth path pediatricians read.
For height specifically, the CDC charts switch the measurement from recumbent length to standing height at age 2, which is one reason the reference is organized that way.
Reference, not standard
An important nuance: CDC charts are descriptive references — they describe how U.S. children measured during the survey era, including children across all feeding and health backgrounds. That differs from the WHO standards for under-2s, which describe how children should grow in optimal conditions. Neither type is a judgment of any individual child.
Using CDC curves in GrowTall
From age 2 to 20, GrowTall plots every measurement on CDC height-for-age curves, computes the percentile, tracks velocity and trend, and — when weight is recorded — adds CDC BMI-for-age context. You get the pediatrician's reference frame without taping a paper chart to the wall.
Common questions
Are CDC charts only meaningful for children in the US?
They are built from US survey data and are used widely around the world as a reference. Like any population reference, they provide context — an individual child's trend matters more than their exact position.
Why does the CDC reference start standing height at age 2?
Before age 2, children are conventionally measured lying down (recumbent length), which reads a centimeter or so longer than standing height. The charts reflect that switch, and so does GrowTall's measurement guidance.
Does GrowTall use BMI-for-age?
Yes — when you record optional weight, GrowTall provides CDC BMI-for-age context alongside height-for-age.
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