Relationship of birth weight and length with growth in height and body diameters from 5 years of age to maturity

Birth weight and birth length were compared with several growth measures, i ncluding body height and weight, linear measures of limbs, body diameters, and head circumference, in 726 Melbourne schoolchildren of both sexes age 5 -18 years. The analysis of relationships between three categories of birth length, weight, and growth measures were based on z-scores and performed by using analysis of variance and partial correlation. The data showed that b irth length was correlated with body height and birth weight was correlated with head circumference; the relationships were weak and were less clear a round the age corresponding to the peak height velocity in either sex. Furt her studies are needed to determine the common underlying mechanisms respon sible for these associations. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.