Adolescent growth spurt

Abstract

The adolescent growth spurt refers to the rapid increase in height and weight that begins with puberty, lasts throughout adolescence, and stops with the cessation of linear growth. The spurt precedes and follows a series of hormonal, physiological, psychological, and behavioral changes that turn juvenile males and females into reproductive adults. Its age of onset will vary by sex, and across populations, and children in developed nations have experienced a secular reduction since the second half of the nineteenth century. The adolescent growth spurt may be species specific and may have appeared with Homo sapiens sapiens approximately 125,000 years ago in Africa.