New Swiss growth charts: officially recommended since 15 June 2026
Since 15 June 2026, paediatrics switzerland – the professional society of Swiss paediatricians – recommends new official growth charts for children and adolescents in Switzerland. Paediatric practices across the country are switching their references: height, weight and BMI are now assessed against Swiss data.
Why growth charts matter
Growth charts are among the most important tools in paediatrics: they help assess a child's development, detect anomalies early and reveal possible causes such as hormonal disorders, growth delays or nutritional problems.
One of the densest growth studies in the world
The new charts are based on measurements of more than 43,000 children and adolescents from all language regions of Switzerland – collected by more than 100 paediatric practices and schools, complemented by newborn and army-recruit data. Roughly one in every 40 children living in Switzerland was measured and weighed: relative to the population, one of the densest growth studies worldwide.
The charts were developed under the lead of Prof. Dr Urs Eiholzer at the Paediatric Endocrinology Centre Zurich (PEZZ) and calculated with the internationally established LMS method.
The key findings
Height: Swiss children today are hardly taller than 50 years ago – adult height is only about 1 cm above the historical reference generation (men approx. 178 cm, women approx. 166 cm).
Weight and BMI: Swiss children today are clearly heavier, especially in the upper BMI percentiles. With the old WHO charts, almost one in five children counted as overweight – with the real Swiss data it is 13.5%.
Early detection: depending on age, the lower limit of normal (3rd percentile) of the WHO charts lies up to 4 cm below the Swiss reference – growth disorders were therefore detected with delay.
What the new charts are made of
The height, weight and BMI charts are based on the national PEZZ data. For BMI from 0–2 years, WHO data are used; head circumference combines the Zurich longitudinal studies with German KiGGS data, and growth velocity comes from the Zurich longitudinal studies.
What does this mean for parents?
At your next check-up, your child's classification may look slightly different – not because your child has changed, but because the reference now matches the Swiss population.
My Growth already uses the new Swiss growth charts (recommended since June 2026) for all evaluations – in the quick check as well as in the family account.
Frequently asked questions
From when do the new Swiss growth charts apply?
paediatrics switzerland recommends the new official growth charts since 15 June 2026. Paediatric practices across Switzerland are switching their references accordingly.
Who developed the new charts?
They were developed under the lead of Prof. Dr Urs Eiholzer at the Paediatric Endocrinology Centre Zurich (PEZZ), based on measurements of more than 43,000 children and adolescents and calculated with the internationally established LMS method.
What changes compared to the old WHO charts?
Mainly weight: with the old WHO charts almost one in five children counted as overweight; with the real Swiss data it is 13.5%. In addition, the lower height limit of the WHO charts was, depending on age, up to 4 cm too low, delaying the detection of growth disorders.
Does Mein-Wachstum.ch use the new charts?
Yes. All evaluations – in the free quick check as well as in the family account – use the new Swiss growth charts, recommended by paediatrics switzerland since June 2026.
Does Mein-Wachstum.ch replace a visit to the paediatrician?
No. The site is an information and documentation tool. If you have questions or notice unusual deviations, please contact your paediatric practice.