title: Cross-sectional growth study of the child and adolescent population of Catalonia (Spain).
abstract: A cross-sectional growth study was undertaken on a sample of 5472 school-children aged between 4 and 17. The sample was representative of the Catalan population. Results on height, weight and age at menarche are presented. Cross-sectional centile curves on height and weight were constructed using non-parametric methods. The height of Catalan children was compared with that of children from the United Kingdom (1965 and 1990), France, Greece and the Basque country (Spain). Until puberty Catalan children were similar in height to English (1990) and Greek children, and taller than children in the other studies mentioned. Only differences in final height compared with the English (1990) population were detected. Parents' place of birth and father's profession are associated with height. 'Probit analysis' revealed that the average age of menarche (12.31 years) was similar to that of other Mediterranean countries and lower than in other parts of Spain and northern European countries. There were differences in age at menarche according to the father's occupation. The secular trend of height of the Catalan child population has increased during the twentieth century, rising more than 2 cm per decade.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Social Security, Generalitat of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: de la Puente
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Canela
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Salleras
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vicens-Calvet
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006115:Greece; D006128:Growth / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019083:Mediterranean Region; D008572:Menarche / Q000502:physiology; D009790:Occupations; D010290:Parents; D011627:Puberty; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D013030:Spain; D006113:United Kingdom