Validation of WHO Charts Mobile Applications for Body Length and Weight Assessment in Healthy Newborns

In a previous study, we found that it is possible to use Android-based mobile applications and WHO AntroPlus desktop application in auxology. Present research was aimed to evaluate the interchangeability of Z-score measurements of length-for-age, weight-for-age and BMI-for-age in newborns applying three randomly selected mobile applications using WHO growth charts in children belonging to the European and Central Asian cohorts. Body length and weight were measured in 1119 newborns on the first day after birth, boys and girls, living in St. Petersburg, Russia (European cohort, 531 newborns) and Nukus, Uzbekistan (Central Asian cohort, 586 newborns). WHO Child Growth Standards PC version WHO Antro software and mobile applications were used to calculate length-for-age, weight-for-age and BMI-for-age Z-scores for all children. Bland-Altman analysis was performed to assess agreement between Z-scores calculated using WHO Antro software and mobile apps. The results of the assessment of agreement to use the three mobile applications in both groups may systematically inflate or underestimate Z-scores. We assume that any significant deviations in stature and BMI observed in clinical practice are greater in both Europeans and Central Asians. It is arguable that the use of Android based mobile growth monitoring apps and WHO Antro software for newborns are quite interchangeable. This is especially relevant in connection with the established practice of «field» monitoring of the growth and development of children by medical professionals visiting patients at home.