The same growth pattern from puberty suggests that modern human diversity results from changes during pre-pubertal development

Abstract

Patterns of human growth established for one population have rarely been tested in other populations. In a previous study, three growth curves from puberty were modelled for each sex in a longitudinal study of a Caucasian population based on stature, age at peak of growth and biological maturation. Each curve represents the canalisation of growth associated with the type of puberty. The high precision (± 3 cm) of individual adult stature predictions shows that growth kinetics are already set up at puberty and are canalised depending on biological maturity. Our aim is to assess whether this model can be extrapolated to other populations to test whether growth canalisation is a population-dependent phenomenon or if the model reflects a canalisation pattern specific to our species. The modelled curves predicted adult stature with the same high degree of precision in basketball players and the Baka pygmies. Therefore, (1) the relationship between growth kinetics and age at maturity is similar in all populations and (2) growth according to pubertal stages follows the same canalisation patterns in the populations despite the wide differences in their average adult statures. It suggests that morphological diversity in modern humans results from processes taking place in early development.

Effect of Modisco-Cookies Combined with Auriculopuncture therapy on Increment of Body Weight

“…It is due to higher physical activity than at other ages. In addition, male adolescents aged 12-14 years need more nutrients for growth because at this age growth spurt occurs in males (Pineau & Ramirez-Rozzi, 2021).…”

Age estimation at puberty, avoiding extrapolation using a non-invasive easily applicable method

“…The variability in development depends on age as variability increases at puberty [20,21]. At puberty the development of individuals can be advanced, standard or delayed [11]. Therefore, the establishment of the type of development at puberty is of extreme importance because it determines the channel of development that the individual will follow until the adult stage [11].…”

“…At puberty the development of individuals can be advanced, standard or delayed [11]. Therefore, the establishment of the type of development at puberty is of extreme importance because it determines the channel of development that the individual will follow until the adult stage [11]. In other words, the fairly narrow developmental channel that allows the use of the GP method during childhood diversifies and adopts a wide variability during adolescence.…”

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The use of the GP method involves the estimation of chronological age from bone development. Bone development is correlated to pubertal stages and for the same pubertal stage there is a significant difference in age according to ethnicity [11]. It is

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Thoughts about responsibility in anthropological research, from a study with the Baka Pygmies

“…I approached this subject in 2007 and began a study on the somatic growth and life history of a population of Baka pygmies in south-eastern Cameroon. The results have already been the subject of several publications [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13].…”