Mathematical models of growth in stature throughout childhood

Growth models for predicting child stature are useful to summarize both the pattern and timing of growth in individuals and populations. Jolicoeur el al. described the JPPS model and compared it with the models of Preece and Baines (PB1) and Shohoji and Sasaki (SS). More recently Jolicoeur et al. described the JPA2 model, an extension of the JPPS. Here the JPPS model is studied in greater depth, and with more subjects, compared to the PB1 model and a modification of the SS model (SSC). The JPPS model gives consistently the best fit, although the SSC model is also better appreciably than the PB1. It is shown that biological parameters can be derived from the model parameters. Both infancy and adult data are required for the JPPS model to fit well. In some subjects the JPPS velocity curve suggests a mid-growth spurt, but it does not usually indicate a spurt in the underlying data. The SSC model is shown to be similar to Karlberg's ICP model. Overall the JPPS model provides a good fit to the child stature curve.