The health of a population is most accurately reflected in the rate of growth of its children. It is this theme which underlies the analysis and presentation of what is by far the largest compilation of growth data ever assembled. The first edition, published in 1976, included all known reliable recent results on height, weight, skinfolds and other body measurements from all parts of the globe. In this edition, the very numerous measurements taken between 1976 and 1988 have been included as well as the results of the large number of new studies made on rate of maturation as evinced by bone age and pubertal development stages. Many sections of the book dwell on disentangling the effects of the environment and heredity on growth, and thus answer the question of whether one universal standard suffices for all peoples of the world, or whether different populations (such as races or nations) should each have their own optimal growth standards. Written by practical people with experience of the problems in developing countries, this book explains in simple terms the different sorts of growth surveys, how to set about making them, and which sort to choose. All who are professionally concerned with child health should read it.

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An analysis has been made of sex dimorphism in adult height using data from 58 Negroid, 76 European, and 67 Amerindian populations. Regression analyses were carried out on the sex difference and sex average of male and female stature means. The greatest sex dimorphism was found in Amerindians and the least in Negroid populations. Data from 36 Asiatic and 27 New Guinea populations have also been considered. It seems that sex dimorphism in adult height has a strong genetic component, making it inappropriate as a measure by which to judge the health and nutritional status of a population.

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