This chapter could be disproportionately long because so much has been achieved at Fels in the area of physical growth. To reduce its length, the growth of bones and teeth and studies of body tissues are described in Chapters 6 and 7 respectively. The present chapter will describe research concerning (i) the development and standardization of anthropometric methods, (ii) age changes in anthropometric variables, (iii) methods of growth assessment, (iv) secular changes in anthropometric variables, (v) determinants of growth, (vi) the final phase of growth, (vii) the prediction of adult stature, (viii) associations between growth and behavioral variables, and (ix) future directions. Fels research related to these topics that extends beyond the period of adolescent growth will be included.

Development and standardization of anthropometric methods

The Fels Research Institute has long been recognized as a center of excellence in anthropometry. Few of the methods used at Fels are novel but they are described in considerable detail in the research protocol and they are applied with unusually high reliability. In discussing the assessment of nutritional status, Garn (1962c62) complained that anthropometry was often regarded as a set of crude procedures and little or no attention was given to the need for standardization and training. To meet the need for better standardization of anthropometric techniques between studies, a North American Consensus Conference was held in 1985 under the leadership of Tim Lohman. Fels staff members contributed significantly to the success of this conference, at which agreement was reached on the procedures for measuring 40 body dimensions (Lohman, Roche & Martorell, 1988).