@article{HermanussenGodinaRuehlietal.2010, author = {Hermanussen, Michael and Godina, Elena and Ruehli, Frank J. and Blaha, Pawel and Boldsen, Jesper L. and van Buuren, Stef and MacIntyre, Matthew and Aßmann, Christian and Ghosh, Arunava and de Stefano, Gian Fra nco and Sonkin, Valentin D. and Tresguerres Hern{\´a}ndez, Jes{\´u}s {\´A}ngel Fern{\´a}ndez and Meigen, Christof and Scheffler, Christiane and Geiger, Cherie L. and Lieberman, Leslie Sue}, title = {Growth variation, final height and secular trend : proceedings of the 17th Aschauer Soiree, 7th November 2009}, issn = {0018-442X}, doi = {10.1016/j.jchb.2010.06.001}, year = {2010}, abstract = {Growth and body height have always been topics interesting to the public. In particular, the stupendous increase of some 15-19 cm in final adult height during the last 150 years in most European countries (the "secular trend"), the concomitant changes in body and head proportions, the tendency towards early onset of sexual maturation, the changes in the age when final height is being reached, and the very recent trend in body mass index, have generated much scientific literature. The marked plasticity of growth in height and weight over time causes problems. Child growth references differ between nations, they tend to quickly become out of date, and raise a number of questions regarding fitting methods, effects caused by selective drop-out, etc. New findings contradict common beliefs about the primary importance of nutritional and health related factors for secular changes in growth. There appears to be a broad age span from mid-childhood to early adolescence that is characterised by a peculiar insusceptibility. Environmental factors that are known to influence growth during this age span appear to have only little or no impact on final height. Major re- arrangements in height occur at an age when puberty has almost been completed and final height has almost been reached, implying that factors, which drive the secular trend in height, are limited to early childhood and late adolescence.}, language = {en} } @article{FrankeGrombergSchuelerHermanussenetal.2010, author = {Franke-Gromberg, Christine and Sch{\"u}ler, Grit and Hermanussen, Michael and Scheffler, Christiane}, title = {Digital 2D-photogrammetry and direct anthropometry : a comparing study on test accomplishment and measurement data}, issn = {0003-5548}, doi = {10.1127/0003-5548/2010/0012}, year = {2010}, abstract = {The aim of this methodological anthropometric study was to compare direct anthropometry and digital two- dimensional photogrammetry in 18 male and 27 female subjects, aged 24 to 65 years, from Potsdam, Germany. In view of the rising interest in reliable biometric kephalofacial data, we focussed on head and face measurements. Out of 34 classic facial anatomical landmarks, 27 landmarks were investigated both by direct anthropometry and 2D-photogrammetry; 7 landmarks could not be localized by 2D-photogrammetry. Twenty-six kephalofacial distances were analysed both by direct anthropometry and digital 2D-photogrammetry. Kephalofacial distances are on average 7.6\% shorter when obtained by direct anthropometry. The difference between the two techniques is particularly evident in total head height (vertex-gnathion) due to the fact that vertex is usually covered by hair and escapes from photogrammetry. Also the distances photographic sellion-gnathion (1.3 cm, i. e. 11.6\%) and nasal-gnathion (1.2 cm, i. e. 9.4\%) differ by more than one centimetre. Differences below 0.5 cm between the two techniques were found when measuring mucosa-lip-height (2.2\%), gonia (3.0\%), glabella-stomion (3.9\%), and nose height (glabella-subnasal) (4.0\%). Only the estimates of forehead width were significantly narrower when obtained by 2D-photogrammetry (-1.4 cm, -13.1\%). The methodological differences increased with increasing magnitude of the kephalometric distance. Apart from these limitations, both techniques are similarly valid and may replace each other.}, language = {en} } @article{LehmannSchefflerHermanussen2010, author = {Lehmann, Andreas and Scheffler, Christiane and Hermanussen, Michael}, title = {The variation in age at menarche : an indicator of historic developmental tempo}, issn = {0003-5548}, doi = {10.1127/0003-5548/2010/0086}, year = {2010}, abstract = {Ample literature describes the history of the association between the advances in the health and wealth of people, and mortality rates, life expectancy and adult height. Twentynine German studies with n > 200 subjects published since 1848 on menarcheal age, were reanalyzed, and 101 studies from various other European and non-European countries. On average, mean age at menarche declined since the mid-19(th) century. Historic urban samples tended to decline earlier than rural groups, upper class women earlier than working class women. In Germany, minimum values for the age at menarche were seen already between the two World Wars (Leipzig 12.6 years in 1934, Halle 13.3 years in 1939). Values for mean age and SD for age at menarche were strongly associated. With improving historic circumstances, the two parameters declined in parallel. The standard deviation for menarcheal age dropped from over 2.5 years in mid-19th century France to little more or even less than 1 year in most modern countries. In the German studies the correlation between menarcheal age and SD was almost complete with r = 0.96 (y = 0.35x - 3.53). Similar associations between mean age at menarche and SD for age were found in other European countries. The obvious and immediate effects of historic events on menarcheal age, and particularly on the age distribution, indicate that menarche is a sensitive indicator of public health and wealth, and may be an appropriate estimator for the socio-economic background of historic populations.}, language = {en} } @article{LehmannSchefflerHermanussen2010, author = {Lehmann, Andreas and Scheffler, Christiane and Hermanussen, Michael}, title = {Evidence of seasonal variation in longitudinal growth of height in a sample of boys from Stuttgart Carlsschule, 1771-1793, using combined principal component analysis and maximum likelihood principle}, issn = {0018-442X}, doi = {10.1016/j.jchb.2009.11.003}, year = {2010}, abstract = {Recent progress in modelling individual growth has been achieved by combining the principal component analysis and the maximum likelihood principle. This combination models growth even in incomplete sets of data and in data obtained at irregular intervals. We re-analysed late 18th century longitudinal growth of German boys from the boarding school Carlsschule in Stuttgart. The boys aged 6-23 years, were measured at irregular 3-12 monthly intervals during the period 1771-1793. At the age of 18 years, mean height was 1652 mm, but height variation was large. The shortest boy reached 1474 mm, the tallest 1826 mm. Measured height closely paralleled modelled height, with mean difference of 4 mm, SD 7 mm. Seasonal height variation was found. Low growth rates occurred in spring and high growth rates in summer and autumn. The present study demonstrates that combining the principal component analysis and the maximum likelihood principle enables growth modelling in historic height data also.}, language = {en} }