Genetic variance of adolescent growth in stature

Abstract

The aim of this study is to quantify the genetic and environmental variation in biological parameters of the adolescent growth in stature in both sexes, using structural equation models. Standing height was measured in 99 twin pairs from the Leuven Longitudinal Twin Study. Subjects were seen at semi-annual intervals between 10 and 16 years and at 18 years. Preece-Baines model I was fitted to the individual data and biologically meaningful parameters were derived. Path models were fitted to these parameters and a gender heterogeneity analysis was performed. A model including additive genetic and specific environmental factors (AE-model), allowing for a difference in total variance or in genetic/environmental variance components in males and females best explains most of the growth characteristics. For the timing and velocity of the adolescent growth spurt, no gender heterogeneity was observed, and the genetic (0.89 to 0.93) and specific environmental (0.07 to 0.11) contributions were equal in both sexes. For stature at take-off, stature at peak height velocity and for adult stature, gender heterogeneity was observed and different models appeared to result in the best fit for boys and girls. For height at PHV and adult stature, the significant contribution of a common environmental (0.39 to 0.56) factor in boys was noteworthy. For percentage of adult stature and distances between relevant time points of the growth curve, a non-scalar effect was observed, indicating that different genes affect these characteristics in boys and girls. It is concluded that most characteristics of the growth spurt in stature are under strong genetic control. Gender heterogeneity is present for stature and for a number of derived growth characteristics.

Genetic and environmental influences on pubertal timing assessed by height growth

“…A few longitudinal twin studies have estimated the magnitude of genetic effect on timing of pubertal growth (Beunen et al, 2000; Fischbein, 1977; Sklad, 1977). Timing of growth spurt occurred in the same year for 81% of MZ and for about 43% of DZ pairs (Sklad, 1977), and a greater similarity in height at every age was found within MZ pairs (correlation 0.90) than within DZ pairs (correlation 0.60–0.70) (Fischbein, 1977).…”

“…Timing of growth spurt occurred in the same year for 81% of MZ and for about 43% of DZ pairs (Sklad, 1977), and a greater similarity in height at every age was found within MZ pairs (correlation 0.90) than within DZ pairs (correlation 0.60–0.70) (Fischbein, 1977). Beunen et al (2000) performed height measurements on 99 twin pairs semi-annually throughout puberty. They used the same novel twin genetic models as we did and the AE univariate model for both men and women.…”

“…This is influenced by genetic and environmental factors, evidenced by several family (Sedlmeyer et al, 2002) and twin studies (Beunen et al, 2000; Fischbein, 1977; Kaprio et al, 1995; Mustanski et al, 2004; Sharma, 1983; Sklad, 1977; Treloar and Martin, 1990). Previous twin studies have estimated that genetic variation accounts from 57 to 100% of all variation on pubertal timing.…”

Postmenarche growth: cohort study among indigenous and non-indigenous Chilean adolescents

“…It is also possible that indigenous girls do not reach the stature of non-indigenous girls because of exposure to less favorable socioeconomic conditions, which inhibit their ability to fully express their growth potential [17,18]. These stature differences at the time of menarche may reflect not only environmental conditions to which the studied cohorts have been exposed, but also the effects of other factors, since some studies have found that the age at which pubertal development begins and ends, as well as the amount of growth that occurs during this period, are influenced by genetic factors [19,20]. Although it may be the case that there are differences in the simple designs of the various studies of the indigenous population at different ages in Chile, we don’t believe that this is a decisive explanatory factor.…”

Comparison of Final Height in Monozygotic Twins, One with Idiopathic and Isolated Growth Hormone Deficiency Treated with Low Dose of Growth Hormone

“…In recent years, growing interest has focused on the importance of genetic factors in the anthropometric measurements [8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16]and regulation of the somatotropic axis [11, 12, 13]. Estimated heritability of height is reported to be high [8, 9, 12, 13, 14]and human GH secretion in young adulthood is markedly dependent on genetic factors [13].…”