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The American Journal of Clinical... Aug 2017
Topics: Adult; Body Height; Diet; Healthy Aging; Humans; Research
PubMed: 28679549
DOI: 10.3945/ajcn.117.161562 -
Cancer Causes & Control : CCC Apr 2016We previously showed that childhood height is positively associated with prostate cancer risk. It is, however, unknown whether childhood height exerts its effects...
PURPOSE
We previously showed that childhood height is positively associated with prostate cancer risk. It is, however, unknown whether childhood height exerts its effects independently of or through adult height. We investigated whether and to what extent childhood height has a direct effect on the risk of prostate cancer apart from adult height.
METHODS
We included 5,871 men with height measured at ages 7 and 13 years in the Copenhagen School Health Records Register who also had adult (50-65 years) height measured in the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health study. Prostate cancer status was obtained through linkage to the Danish Cancer Registry. Direct and total effects of childhood height on prostate cancer risk were estimated from Cox regressions.
RESULTS
From 1996 to 2012, 429 prostate cancers occurred. Child and adult heights were positively and significantly associated with prostate cancer risk. When adjusted for adult height, height at age 7 years was no longer significantly associated with the risk of prostate cancer. Height at 13 years was significantly and positively associated with prostate cancer risk even when adult height was adjusted for; per height z-score the hazard ratio was 1.15 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-1.32].
CONCLUSIONS
The effect of height at 13 years on the risk of prostate cancer was not entirely mediated through adult height, suggesting that child height and adult height may be associated with prostate cancer through different pathways.
Topics: Adolescent; Aged; Body Height; Child; Cohort Studies; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Proportional Hazards Models; Prostatic Neoplasms; Risk Factors
PubMed: 26951518
DOI: 10.1007/s10552-016-0731-8 -
Advances in Nutrition (Bethesda, Md.) Mar 2012Ponderal and linear growth of children has been widely studied; however, epidemiologic evidence of a relationship between the two is inconsistent. Child undernutrition... (Review)
Review
Ponderal and linear growth of children has been widely studied; however, epidemiologic evidence of a relationship between the two is inconsistent. Child undernutrition in the form of low height for age and low weight for height continues to burden the developing world. A downward shift in the distribution of height for age in the first 2 y of life is commonly observed in many developing countries and is usually summarized as the percentage stunted (height for age Z-score <-2). Similar shifts are seen in weight for height; however, weight-for-height shifts are often less extreme, perhaps because weight for height is more tightly biologically controlled. Low height for age and low weight for height in childhood share some common factors, including food insecurity, infectious diseases, and inappropriate feeding practices. Reductions in weight for height, generally seen as a short-term response to inadequate dietary intake or utilization, are thought to precede decreases in height for age; however, given an adequate diet and no further insults, catch-up linear growth can occur. Serial instances of decreased weight for height, however, are thought to limit the degree of catch-up growth attained, contributing to linear growth retardation. Additional research is needed to identify the factors associated with recovery of linear growth after a child experiences decreased weight for height. Although the direct relationship between weight for height and height for age is likely limited, each of these measurements indicates important information about the general health of children and their risk of the development of illness or dying; therefore, eliminating the downward shift of height for age and weight for height in developing countries should be prioritized as a public policy.
Topics: Body Height; Body Weight; Child, Preschool; Developing Countries; Health Status; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Risk Factors
PubMed: 22516736
DOI: 10.3945/an.111.001099 -
Economics and Human Biology Dec 2022Taller children tend to have better cognitive ability, and the relationship between height and cognition has been proposed as an explanation for the height-wage labor...
Taller children tend to have better cognitive ability, and the relationship between height and cognition has been proposed as an explanation for the height-wage labor market premium. Height-cognition associations may arise due to social factors that favor taller individuals or be driven by "common factors" that are correlated with height and cognition. Indeed, there is now evidence of a genetic correlation between height and cognition that provides specific evidence for this concern. We examine whether genetic factors explain the relationship by estimating associations between childhood height and cognition in the Twins Early Development Study. We find that height is associated with better cognition even after controlling for genetic and environmental factors shared by twins. The association between height and cognition within fraternal twin pairs is also robust to controlling for individual genetic predictors of height and cognition. These results suggest that genetic factors are not solely responsible for driving the relationship between height and cognition.
Topics: Child; Humans; Twins, Dizygotic; Body Height; Cognition
PubMed: 36027762
DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2022.101174 -
PloS One 2021The purpose of the study was to evaluate predicted maturity offset (time before age at PHV) and age at PHV (chronological age [CA] minus maturity offset) in a...
The purpose of the study was to evaluate predicted maturity offset (time before age at PHV) and age at PHV (chronological age [CA] minus maturity offset) in a longitudinal sample of 58 under-13 club level soccer players in central Portugal for whom ages at PHV were estimated with the SITAR model. Two maturity offset prediction equations were applied: the original equation which requires CA sitting height, estimated leg length, height and weight, and a modified equation which requires CA and height. Predicted maturity offset increased, on average, with CA at prediction throughout the age range considered, while variation in predicted maturity offset and ages at PHV within CA groups was considerably reduced compared to variation in observed ages at offset and at PHV. Predicted maturity offset and ages at PHV were consistently later than observed maturity offset and age at PHV among early maturing players, and earlier than observed in late maturing players. Both predicted offset and ages at PHV with the two equations were, on average, later than observed among players maturing on time. Intra-individual variation in predicted ages at PHV with each equation was considerable. The results for soccer players were consistent with similar studies in the general population and two recent longitudinal studies of soccer players. The results question the utility of predicted maturity offset and age at PHV as valid indicators of maturity timing and status.
Topics: Adolescent; Age Factors; Anthropometry; Athletes; Athletic Performance; Body Height; Child; Humans; Male; Portugal; Rheology; Sexual Maturation; Soccer
PubMed: 34310636
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254659 -
British Medical Journal Jul 1961
Topics: Body Height; Child; Humans; Infant; Obesity; Pediatric Obesity
PubMed: 13762916
DOI: 10.1136/bmj.2.5245.145 -
BMC Pediatrics Feb 2022Short stature is defined as height below 2 standard deviations of the population with the same age, gender. This study is aimed to assess the characteristics of body...
BACKGROUND
Short stature is defined as height below 2 standard deviations of the population with the same age, gender. This study is aimed to assess the characteristics of body composition in preschool children with short stature.
METHODS
Anthropometric measurements and body composition were assessed in 68 preschool children aged 3 to 6 years old with short stature and 68 normal controls matched on age and gender. Height, weight and body composition (total body water, protein, minerals, body fat mass, fat-free mass, soft lean mass, skeletal muscle mass, and bone mineral contents) in the two groups were measured and compared.
RESULTS
The total body water, protein, minerals, body fat mass, fat-free mass, soft lean mass, skeletal muscle mass, and bone mineral contents were lower in preschool children with short stature than controls (P < 0.05). Body mass index and fat mass index did not differ between groups. Fat-free mass index was significantly lower in short stature group than controls (t = 2.17, P = 0.03). Linear regression analysis showed that there was a positive correlation between height and fat-free mass index [β, 1.99 (0.59, 3.39), P = 0.01], a negative correlation between height and body fat percentage [β, - 0.20 (- 0.38, - 0.01), P = 0.04]. The proportions of fat-free mass in the upper limbs were significantly lower (Right,t = - 2.78,Left t = - 2.76, P < 0.05, respectively) in short stature, although body fat distribution was not.
CONCLUSIONS
The fat-free mass such as protein and bone minerals is lower in preschool children with short stature, suggesting the monitoring of fat-free mass for early identification and intervention.
Topics: Body Composition; Body Height; Body Mass Index; Bone Density; Case-Control Studies; Child; Child, Preschool; Humans
PubMed: 35180848
DOI: 10.1186/s12887-022-03159-8 -
Anthropologischer Anzeiger; Bericht... Jun 2018The association between stature and social dominance is known. Dominance within social groups and current politics are related issues. We therefore aimed to compare...
The association between stature and social dominance is known. Dominance within social groups and current politics are related issues. We therefore aimed to compare estimates of the opinion of a population about their current political issues, with physical growth. We used data on the 2012 and the 2014 elections for the Japanese House of Representatives and the percent proportion of votes of the 47 prefectures of Japan, and regional data on body height of 17.5 year old men and women. Information on capita income, possession of mobile phones, urban/rural population ratio, and age distribution were added to capture socioeconomic factors. Four political parties were present in most of the 47 prefectures: the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), the New Komeito Party (Kom) that is known for their social network community, and the Japanese Communist Party (JCP). A dense network of associations exists between height, age distribution, per capita income, number of smartphones, and voting results. Male and female body height was inversely related with the proportion of votes for New Komeito Party. Average stature decreases by one mm per percent votes for this political party. Medium strong positive associations were found for male body height and voting results of the DPJ and for female body height with the JCP election results. In modern Japan, popular preferences for conservative political structures coincide with shorter stature.
Topics: Adolescent; Body Height; Female; Humans; Japan; Male; Politics; Rural Population; Social Dominance; Socioeconomic Factors; Urban Population
PubMed: 29892773
DOI: 10.1127/anthranz/2018/0855 -
Advances in Clinical and Experimental... Mar 2018Short stature, which is defined as height below 2 standard deviations of the mean height for the age and sex, is one of the most frequent reasons for medical... (Review)
Review
Short stature, which is defined as height below 2 standard deviations of the mean height for the age and sex, is one of the most frequent reasons for medical consultations in children. Short stature may occur due to a constitutional delay in growth, familial short stature or chronic diseases, including many genetic syndromes, metabolic and endocrine disorders. In this article the authors provide a mini-review of the most frequent genetic syndromes associated with short stature that should be taken into account in the differential diagnosis process. Syndromes caused by chromosomal aberrations and gene mutations were divided into 2 main groups: syndromes that are associated with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) and those in which IUGR does not occur in the natural history of the patient. The authors described the most important anomalies in each syndrome. Metabolic diseases and skeletal dysplasias were omitted, as they are major separate groups of diseases involving growth delay.
Topics: Body Height; Child; Chromosome Aberrations; Fetal Growth Retardation; Growth Disorders; Humans; Syndrome
PubMed: 29558022
DOI: 10.17219/acem/67051 -
Evolutionary Psychology : An... 2018Intrasexual competition can be defined as the struggle between members of one sex to increase their access to members of the other sex as sexual partners. In our...
Intrasexual competition can be defined as the struggle between members of one sex to increase their access to members of the other sex as sexual partners. In our species, height is a sexually dimorphic trait probably involved in both intrasexual and intersexual selective processes. In the present research, we examined the relationship between height and individual differences in intrasexual competitiveness (i.e., the tendency to view same-sex interactions in general in competitive terms) in two populations of adolescents and adults of both sexes in Chile. According to our first prediction, among both adolescent and adult men, height was negatively associated with intrasexual competitiveness. In contrast, among women, height was not linearly nor quadratically related with intrasexual competitiveness as previously reported. Finally, adolescent men and women showed increased levels of intrasexual competitiveness compared to adult same-sex counterparts. Our results suggest that height is a relevant trait in mating competition among men. The lack of relationship between height and intrasexual competitiveness in women may suggest that the role of height in women mating competition may be more complex and mediated by other variables.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Body Height; Chile; Competitive Behavior; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Sexual Behavior; Young Adult
PubMed: 29361847
DOI: 10.1177/1474704917749172