Height velocity in a group of teenage boys

In a multi-discipline longitudinal study, 'Growth and Health of Teenagers', height velocity was measured four monthly during four consecutive years in a group of about 250 growing Dutch youngsters. From the individual velocity curves of height we calculated peak height velocity (PHV) and the age at which PHV occurred. Height velocity was estimated in 102 boys from the derivative of a second degree moving polynomial function over five measurements. PHV varies in boys between 6.1 and 14.0 cm/year. The median value of the age at PHV in boys is 14.0 years. Early-maturing boys have approximately 2 cm/year greater PHVs than late-maturing boys.