Res. 2465 de 2016: anthropometric indicators and growth classification in Colombia, 0 to 17 years
- Law
The Colombian rule that says which growth indicators, WHO reference charts and cut-offs are used to classify a child's nutritional status.
What it is
Resolución 2465 de 2016 of the Ministry of Health adopts the anthropometric indicators, reference patterns (the WHO 2006 and 2007 growth standards) and cut-off points used to classify the nutritional status of children and adolescents under 18, adults aged 18 to 64 and adult pregnant women. Its technical annex also sets the measuring equipment and the minimum technique for weight, length or height, head circumference, arm circumference and waist. For nurses it is the rule behind every growth chart and every nutritional classification recorded in a child's check-up.
Key articles
- Art. 1: adopts the indicators, the WHO 2006–2007 reference patterns and the cut-offs in the technical annex, and identifies the equipment and minimum measuring technique.
- Art. 2: applies to health providers, insurers, departmental, district and municipal health secretariats, health professionals and training institutions.
- Art. 3: the indicators serve classification, monitoring, research and nutritional surveillance; they are not used for people with conditions that alter anthropometry, who are assessed by clinical criteria.
- Art. 4: definitions, for example moderate acute malnutrition (W/H < −2 to ≥ −3 SD), severe acute malnutrition (W/H < −3 SD) and risk of malnutrition (≥ −2 to < −1 SD).
- Art. 10: gave the obliged entities eight months from publication to adapt their processes.
- Art. 11: in force from publication; repeals Resolución 2121 de 2010.
What it covers
- The technical annex: tables of cut-offs by age group, the WHO growth charts by sex and age, and the Atalah chart for adult pregnant women.
- Measurement section: weighing infants under 2 (infant scale or by difference with the carer), weighing older children, length on an infantometer, height, head and arm circumference.
In nursing practice
- Use the cut-off table of the resolution, not older charts, when classifying a child.
- Under 5, classify individual nutritional status with weight for length/height; record length/height for age and head circumference too.
- Head circumference is measured routinely up to 3 years of age, and afterwards at the first consultation.
- Repeat each weight and compare; if the two differ by more than twice the scale's precision, weigh a third time and average the two closest.
- Flattening of the growth curve or a change of channel in a child who was growing normally must be investigated.
Status and official text
- Texto oficial verificado el 2026-11-13 en minsalud.gov.co (the published PDF copy does not show the filled-in number and date).
- Repeals Resolución 2121 de 2010; no amending norm was found on the official site on that date.
- Resolución 2350 de 2020 and Resolución 115 de 2026 (acute malnutrition) refer to it as the current rule for classification and anthropometric equipment.
- Check minsalud.gov.co before relying on it, in case a later resolution has modified it.
Test yourself
Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.
Which growth standards does Res. 2465 de 2016 adopt for children?
The WHO growth standards published in 2006 and 2007.
Which indicator classifies individual nutritional status in a child under 5?
Weight for length or height; weight for age and BMI for age are for population analysis only.
How is a child under 2 years measured?
Lying down on an infantometer; the measure is called length.
Which earlier resolution did Res. 2465 de 2016 repeal?
Resolución 2121 de 2010.
Elsewhere in DurgiPedia
Connections
Educational content for students; it does not replace your institution's protocols, supervised clinical training or a prescriber's order. Dose-calculation examples use made-up numbers: they are educational, not a clinical order.
Sources: Resolución 2465 de 2016 (indicadores antropométricos, patrones de referencia y puntos de corte) (Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social de Colombia, 2016); Resolución 115 de 2026, por la cual se modifica parcialmente la Resolución 2350 de 2020 y su anexo técnico (Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social de Colombia, 2026).
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Representative model, for educational purposes only.