MATHEMATICAL-MODELS OF GROWTH IN STATURE THROUGHOUT CHILDHOOD

Growth models for predicting child stature are useful to summarize bot h the pattern and timing of growth in individuals and populations. Jol icoeur et al. described the JPPS model and compared it with the models of Preece and Baines (PB 1) and Shohoji and Sasaki (SS). More recentl y Jolicoeur ct al. described the JPA2 model, an extension of the JPPS. Here the JPPS model is studied in greater depth, and with more subjec ts, compared to the PB 1 model and a modification of the SS model (SSC ). The JPPS model gives consistently the best fit, although the SSC mo del is also better appreciably than the PB 1. It is shown that biologi cal parameters can be derived from the model parameters. Both infancy and adult data are required for the JPPS model to fit well. In some su bjects the JPPS velocity curve suggests a mid-growth spurt, but it doe s not usually indicate a spurt in the underlying data. The SSC model i s shown to be similar to Karlberg's ICP model. Overall the JPPS model provides a good fit to the child stature curve.