Modeling determinants of growth: evidence for a community-based target in height?

Abstract

Background: Human growth is traditionally envisaged as a target-seeking process regulated by genes, nutrition, health, and the state of an individual's social and economic environment; it is believed that under optimal physical conditions, an individual will achieve his or her full genetic potential. Methods: Using a panel data set on individual height increments, we suggest a statistical modeling approach that characterizes growth as first-order trend stationary and allows for controlling individual growth tempo via observable measures of individual maturity. A Bayesian framework and corresponding Markov-chain Monte Carlo techniques allowing for a conceptually stringent treatment of missing values are adapted for parameter estimation. results: The model provides evidence for the adjustment of the individual growth rate toward average height of the population. conclusion: The increase in adult body height during the past 150 y has been explained by the steady improvement of living conditions that are now being considered to have reached an optimum in Western societies. The current investigation questions the notion that the traditional concept in the understanding of this target-seeking process is sufficient. We consider an additional regulator that possibly points at community-based target seeking in growth.

Community‐based clustering of height in Ethiopia, India, Peru, and Vietnam

“…The present analyses show that spatial proximity also influences height of infants, children and adolescents of four low and middle‐income countries. This corresponds to evidence from other studies based on modern and historic data obtained in high‐income countries showing that spatial proximity influences height in adults (Aßmann & Hermanussen, ; Bent et al, ; Gomula et al, ; Hermanussen et al, ).…”

“…In addition to these above mentioned factors, preliminary studies have shown that an individual's height may also be influenced by his or her social peer groups and community (Aßmann & Hermanussen, ). Some of these studies provide an analysis of historic and modern height data of military conscript from Switzerland, Norway and Poland suggest an influence of geographical connectedness on height (Bent, Rybak, & Groth, ; Gomula, Koziel, Groth, & Bielicki, ; Hermanussen, Aßmann, & Groth, ), in which members of the same geographic districts tend to be similar in height, that is, conscripts may be short because young men of the same city and of closely neighboring cities are also short (Aßmann & Hermanussen, ; Gomula et al, ; Hermanussen et al, ). This phenomenon is not only seen in adult height, but also in the height of adolescents; Fourteen year old girls attending the same class within a school are more similar in height compared to 14‐year‐old girls of the same school (Koziel & Gomula, ), indicating that spatial proximity reduces height variability.…”

As tall as my peers – similarity in body height between migrants and hosts

“…Aßmann & Hermanussen (2013) used a Bayesian approach to model data from a longitudinal study of school children and adolescents from Zurich, Switzerland, and found evidence for a growth regulation that operates during adolescence and adjusts individual height toward the average height of their peers, i.e. her/his immediate community (Fig.…”

How Much Nutrition for How Much Growth?

“…Quite in contrast to the biological and economic concept for the understanding of human growth, recent attention was focussed on the effect of the community on child and adolescent growth and body height [50]. Based on new experimental evidence in animals [51], the concept of social height targeting and strategic growth adjustments was expanded suggesting that stature may be considered a social signal.…”