Ages at peak velocity and peak velocities for seven body dimensions in Japanese children

Seven body dimensions of 37 Japanese children, 16 boys and 21 girls, were measured longitudinally at 6-monthly intervals from 9 through 15 years of age. Spline curves were fitted to the longitudinal data of each dimension to obtain age at peak velocity and magnitude of peak velocity for each child. Ages at peak velocity for each dimension occurred, on average, later in boys than in girls. Mean peak velocities were also larger in boys except for chest circumference. Ages at peak velocity occurred, on average, earlier in Japanese than in European and North American children.