An examination of the definition 'final height' for practical use

Area of Science:

• Human Growth and Development
• Biometrics
• Anthropometry

Background:

• Accurate adult stature prediction relies on a clear definition of 'final height'.
• Existing definitions may not be universally applicable to all longitudinal growth data.
• Evaluating different final height metrics is crucial for robust stature prediction research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine and compare the validity of three distinct 'final height' definitions.
• To determine the most practical and effective definition for adult stature prediction studies.
• To assess the applicability of these definitions across different longitudinal datasets.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of two longitudinal datasets: T-data (boys and girls) and H-data (girls).
• Application and comparison of three final height definitions: Final stature at 18 years (Fht (18)), stature after a year with <0.5 cm increment (Fht (0.5)), and the highest measurement (Fht (hst)).

Main Results:

• The highest measurement (Fht (hst)) demonstrated the greatest effectiveness for practical application.
• Fht (hst) proved more versatile and applicable across various data collection scenarios.
• The study identified Fht (hst) as a superior metric for defining final stature in growth studies.

Conclusions:

• The highest recorded measurement (Fht (hst)) is recommended as the optimal definition of final stature.
• This definition ensures consistency and reliability in adult stature prediction.
• Fht (hst) is suitable for diverse datasets, including those with measurements until growth cessation or during school periods.