OBJECTIVES AND METHOD: To develop age- and sex-specific profiles of growth parameters of Inuit children using a retrospective, chart-based study of public health growth records. All children (137) and "even numbered" children from the birth registers (121/231) in the communities of Hopedale and Nain on the northern coast of Labrador, respectively, were used from Jan. 1, 1988, to April 30, 1995.Intervals selected were as follows: around the time of birth, 3, 6, 12 and 18 months and 4 years. Children within these intervals were selected once by predefined selection criteria. Data were collected for the variables of sex, age, height, weight and head circumference. Sex-specific plots of height, weight, head circumference by age, and weight for height were developed.RESULTS: At birth, Inuit children are not significantly different ( p > 0.02 by the Wilcoxon signed rank test) from National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) data for all of the variables. Between 6 and 12 months of age both height and weight diverge from the NCHS percentiles. Weight for height diverges significantly and shows the cumulative effect of decreased height and increased weight (compared with the NCHS data) characteristic of Inuit children. Head circumference is not significantly different from the NCHS data.CONCLUSION: Used appropriately and in conjunction with the NCHS reference curves, these data can help the clinician make the appropriate adjustments when interpreting the growth patterns of Inuit children in Labrador.