Journal
ACTA PAEDIATRICA
Volume 108, Issue 7, Pages 1311-1320Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1111/apa.14683
Keywords
Adult height; Childhood growth; Human growth; Pubertal growth; Secular trend
Categories
Funding
- Swedish Research Council [7509, VR 2006-7777]
- Swedish Research Council Formas
- Swedish Research Council for Working Life and Social Research [2006-1624]
- Governmental Grants for University Hospital Research (ALF) from Region Vastra Gotaland
- R&D department, County of Halland
- Foundation Vaxthuset for children
- Southern Swedish healthcare region
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Aim The study aims to investigate secular changes in adult height among Nordic reference populations during the last four decades and in parents of Swedish study participants, and to study during which growth phase(s) infancy, childhood or puberty changes in height and tempo occurred. Methods Length and height data were obtained from publications on populations used as current and previous national height references in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. Measurements from birth until adult height and original parental heights of participants in Swedish reference populations born 1956, 1974, and 1990 were used. Results Adult height has increased progressively in Nordic populations born in 1950s-1990s; for females by 6 mm/decade Norway, 4 mm; Sweden, 6 mm; Finland and Denmark, 7 mm; for males by 9 mm/decade, in Sweden, 5 mm; Finland, 7 mm; Denmark 8 mm; Norway, 15 mm. This was due to more growth during childhood despite earlier timing of mid-puberty. Heights of Swedish parents born 1920s-1960s increased 11 mm/decade for mothers, 14 mm/decade for fathers. Conclusion The Nordic countries comprise some of the tallest populations in the world yet continue to show a positive secular change in adult height alongside a faster tempo of growth by earlier timing of puberty, highlighting the need to regularly update national height references.
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