Adolescent growth in height of Australian aboriginals analysed by the Preece-Baines function: a longitudinal study

Adolescent growth in height was studied in 62 Australian Aboriginal children enrolled in a longitudinal study at Yuendumu in the Northern Territory of Australia. A direct-search method for minimization of the Preece-Baines Model 1 function was used to estimate mean constants and biological parameters describing the adolescent growth. There were few differences between Aboriginal and British children in the ages at take-off (TO) and peak height velocity (PHV), in adolescent gain or in the percentages of adult height achieved at TO and PHV. Aboriginal boys, however, were shorter than British boys at TO, PHV and adulthood. PHVs in the Aboriginals, 10.3 cm/yr in boys and 8.4 cm/yr in girls, were higher than in British children. In the light of known levels of infant mortality and morbidity at Yuendumu between 1953 and 1970, it is suggested that the high PHVs may be indicative of 'catch-up' growth following early childhood retardation.