Biosocial influences on stature: a review

Mascie‐Taylor, C. G. N.

doi:10.1017/s0021932000019131

Cited by 42 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…District of residence and family food expenditure remained the most important determinants of variation in children's heights in most models. These models explained a slightly greater proportion of the variation in boys' height (r 2 (5) Possible clustering effects, because children from the same family share both genetic factors affecting height and household circumstances, were examined by repeating the models on one randomly chosen member from each family (814 boys and 893 girls). In these models, the same three factors ± district of residence, family food expenditure and the number of children in the household ± were the only variables significant in most of the final models for boys and girls.…”

Section: Multivariable Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It has been suggested that overcrowded conditions, and in particular bed sharing, may interfere with a child's sleep and this leads to reduced growth hormone secretion. 2 Similar explanations may also lie behind the possible growthretarding effects of psychological stress. 5 The effects of childhood environment on the two separate components of adult stature ± trunk length and leg length ± are less clear.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…1,2 The main environmental factors associated with differences in stature are frequent infections and malnutrition, although these associations are relatively stronger in developing than in richer nations. 3,4 Other environmental factors may also be important.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Socio‐economic and dietary influences on leg length and trunk length in childhood: a reanalysis of the Carnegie (Boyd Orr) survey of diet and health in prewar Britain (1937–39)

Gunnell

Smith

Frankel

et al. 1998

Paediatric Perinatal Epid

143

100

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Summary. Social class differences in height have been recognised for many centuries. However, few studies have examined the extent to which these differences are made up of differences in leg length or trunk length. This paper reanalyses cross-sectional information on children examined in Britain in the 1930s. We assess associations between socioeconomic status and diet and the components of childhood stature. The analyses were based on the records of 2990 children aged 2 years to 14 years 9 months who were examined in the Carnegie (Boyd Orr) survey of diet and health (1937±39). z-Scores for the measures of childhood stature were calculated using polynomial regression techniques with the study population as the standard. Univariable and multivariable statistical techniques were used to assess the relationships between childhood height, leg length and trunk length, and dietary and socio-economic factors measured at the level of the household. Leg length was the component of stature most strongly associated with measures of childhood diet and socio-economic status. A greater part of the difference in stature between socio-economic groups was caused by differences in leg length rather than trunk length. In multiple regression analyses, district of residence and family food expenditure were generally the two factors most strongly related to stature. In a subsample of the surveyed children, for whom birthweight information was available, trunk length and leg length were equally strongly related to birthweight. Leg length appears to be a particularly sensitive indicator of childhood socio-economic circumstances. Although contemporary studies highlight the importance of biological factors in determining childhood height, the data analysed in this study suggest that socio-economic circumstances were also important in explaining height differentials in prewar Britain.

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Section: Multivariable Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Socio‐economic and dietary influences on leg length and trunk length in childhood: a reanalysis of the Carnegie (Boyd Orr) survey of diet and health in prewar Britain (1937–39)

Gunnell

Smith

Frankel

et al. 1998

Paediatric Perinatal Epid

143

100

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Genetic constitution, nutrition, endocrine function, and psychosocial well being are all involved in the process of growth (1,2). The genetic component of height has been estimated to be 0.5-0.9, i.e., 50 -90% of the height variation is accounted for by genetic factors.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex Steroid Treatment of Constitutionally Tall Stature*

1998

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“…Previous studies have found associations between inequality and low birth-weight (Kaplan et al 1996;Shi et al 2004), which suggests that pre-natal exposure to inequality may have a detrimental effect on physical development, and potentially therefore on attained height. It is also possible that development could be affected by post-natal stress caused by inequality (Mascie-Taylor 1991).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-term exposure to income inequality: implications for physical functioning at older ages

2013

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The 'inequality hypothesis' proposes that higher levels of societal income inequality have a direct negative causal effect on health. Support for this hypothesis has been mixed; particularly among older people. However, most previous studies have not accounted for people's exposure to inequality over the long-term. We aimed to address this problem by examining the implications of long-term inequality exposure for older people's physical health. Data on individual health and covariates were drawn from three large, comparable surveys of older people, covering 16 countries: the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, the Survey of Health and Retirement in Europe and the U.S. Health and Retirement Study. Historical inequality information was derived from the Standardised World Income Inequality Database. We used multilevel regression methods to model the association between longterm average inequality and three measures of physical functioning: grip strength, lung function and self-reported activity limitation. Exposure to higher average long-term levels of inequality was significantly negatively related to objectively measured grip strength and lung function, but unrelated to self-reported limitations (although increasing inequality over time was positively related to self-reported limitations). The grip strength and lung function associations were partially explained by between-country differences in height, and in the latter case this factor may fully account for the apparent effect of inequality. We discuss implications of these results for the inequality hypothesis.

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Biosocial influences on stature: a review

Cited by 42 publications

References 58 publications

Socio‐economic and dietary influences on leg length and trunk length in childhood: a reanalysis of the Carnegie (Boyd Orr) survey of diet and health in prewar Britain (1937–39)

Socio‐economic and dietary influences on leg length and trunk length in childhood: a reanalysis of the Carnegie (Boyd Orr) survey of diet and health in prewar Britain (1937–39)

Sex Steroid Treatment of Constitutionally Tall Stature*

Long-term exposure to income inequality: implications for physical functioning at older ages

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