Research on secular trends in auxology

Area of Science:

• Auxology
• Human Growth and Development
• Anthropometry

Background:

• Secular trends, defined as long-term changes in physical development, are crucial for understanding population health.
• Research often focuses on positive trends (increased size, earlier maturation), but negative or absent trends also occur.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current research on secular trends in human growth and maturation.
• To analyze the diversity of secular trends across different populations and time periods.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of auxological studies.
• Analysis of data on stature, age at menarche, body proportions, and composition.
• Historical anthropometric data comparison.

Main Results:

• Developed countries generally show positive secular trends in stature and age at menarche, with some evidence of cessation.
• Developing countries exhibit a mix of positive, negative, and absent secular trends.
• Historical European data suggest a negative secular trend in stature from the 11th to 19th centuries, followed by a positive trend.

Conclusions:

• Secular trends in growth and maturation are complex and vary significantly by region and historical context.
• Understanding these trends is essential for public health and developmental studies.
• Future research should continue to monitor and analyze these dynamic changes in human populations.