biostudies-literatureMartinez-Millana AH2020 Healthe0208362https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC6301782biostudies-literatureUnknown13(12)BACKGROUND:Expressing anthropometric parameters (height, weight, BMI) as z-score is a key principle in the clinical assessment of children and adolescents. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) growth charts and the CDC-LMS method for z-score calculation are widely used to assess growth and nutritional status, though they can be imprecise in some percentiles. OBJECTIVE:To improve the accuracy of z-score calculation by revising the statistical method using the original data used to develop current z-score calculators. DESIGN:A Gaussian Process Regressions (GPR) was designed and internally validated. Z-scores for weight-for-age (WFA), height-for-age (HFA) and BMI-for-age (BMIFA) were compared with WHO and CDC-LMS methods in 1) standard z-score cut-off points, 2) simulated populPloS oneOptimisation of children z-score calculation based on new statistical techniques.PMC6301782643806Hulst JMBasagoiti IWitters PRibes-Koninckx CAsseiceira IFernandez-Llatas CDe Boeck KBoon MMartinez-Millana ATraver VCalvo-Lerma JfalseOptimisation of children z-score calculation based on new statistical techniques.BACKGROUND:Expressing anthropometric parameters (height, weight, BMI) as z-score is a key principle in the clinical assessment of children and adolescents. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) growth charts and the CDC-LMS method for z-score calculation are widely used to assess growth and nutritional status, though they can be imprecise in some percentiles. OBJECTIVE:To improve the accuracy of z-score calculation by revising the statistical method using the original data used to develop current z-score calculators. DESIGN:A Gaussian Process Regressions (GPR) was designed and internally validated. Z-scores for weight-for-age (WFA), height-for-age (HFA) and BMI-for-age (BMIFA) were compared with WHO and CDC-LMS methods in 1) standard z-score cut-off points, 2) simulated popul2018-01-01T00:00:00Z20182025-04-29T11:08:07.013Z2019-03-26T22:34:37ZS-EPMC63017823057168110.1371/journal.pone.0208362