Growth curves and adult height estimation for adolescents
D. M. Wilson, H. C. Kraemer, P. L. Ritter and L. D. Hammer
Using data from the large number of adolescents studied in cycle III of the
National Health Examination Survey, we utilized a sexual maturity index to
develop a set of growth curves that reduce the distortion caused by
commingling height data from adolescents maturing at different rates. We
also created a set of correction tables to be used with these curves to
permit the calculation of an adjusted height percentile that compensates
for the effects of the differing rates of pubertal maturation. These
adjusted height percentiles should remain more constant throughout puberty
than height percentiles obtained from traditional growth curves; they may
thus be used to estimate final adult height with only data obtained during
routine physical examinations, by assuming that subjects maintain their
adjusted height percentile through adolescence to adulthood. Height
predictions made in this manner compare favorably with predictions made
using two clinically tested algorithms.
