title: Genetic and environmental influences on growth of Philadelphia Black and White schoolchildren.
abstract: Sibling correlations in body size and composition are considered in 114 pairs of American Black and 101 pairs of White sibs, ranging in age from 6 to 12 years. Correlations were similar in the two races. Sibling resemblance was more or less similar for skeletal measurements (0.35-0.48), limb circumferences (0.41-0.43), and skinfolds (0.31-0.41). Age difference between members of a pair was found to affect the sibling correlations, especially for measurements of low genetic control. This is taken as evidence for environmental contributions to sibling resemblance. Higher sister-sister similarities in fat (as compared to brother-brother) were evident in Blacks (as they were in a rural South American sample) but not in Whites. This pattern could arise from similar sex-role differentiation in these two cultures (Afro and Latin American) or similar expression of sex-limited genes under less favourable environmental conditions.
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D044383:Black People; D002648:Child; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D005826:Genetics, Medical; D006128:Growth; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010414:Pennsylvania; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D044465:White People; D001741:Black or African American