An addendum on presence and absence of a mid-childhood spurt in somatic dimensions.

Abstract

Tanner and Cameron (1980) recently reported analyses of velocity data on London children for standing height, body weight, arm girth, calf girth, and two measures of skinfold thickness. Their purpose was to determine whether in mid-childhood (some time between ages six and nine years) these variables underwent slight "acceleration and deceleration." The present report supplements this with velocity findings on Iowa City children for standing height, body weight, chest girth, arm girth, calf girth, and hip width. The London study showed no evidence of a mid-childhood spurt in standing height of girls, and clear evidence of a mid-childhood spurt in calf girth of boys. The Iowa City measures confirm the finding for standing height, but not that for calf girth. Other instances of agreement and discrepancy regarding a mid-childhood spurt are discussed, and additional relevant findings presented. The author joins Tanner and Cameron (1980) in recognizing the difficulties of reducing measurement and statistical error sufficiently to accept or reject the occurrence of mid-childhood somatic spurts.