title: Familial concordance for height and its components: analyses from the Breakthrough Generations Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess familial resemblance for height, arm span, and components of these, and differences between concordance for short and tall heights.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined whether female relatives were similar for six anthropometric measurements (height, arm span, leg, trunk and arm length, and leg:trunk length ratio). Subjects were 31,622 related individuals aged 16-102 yr participating in the UK Breakthrough Generations Study. Height and arm span were self-reported, limb and trunk length were measured in a subset (N = 508) by study investigators, and paternal height was reported by the daughter. Data were analyzed using correlations and Poisson regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Correlation coefficients within families were 0.4 for height, 0.3 for arm span, and 0.5 for leg length, trunk length, leg:trunk ratio, and arm length. Women had a relative risk (RR) of being short (i.e., in the lowest height quintile) of 2.3 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.1-2.5) if their mother was short, 2.1 (95% CI = 1.9-2.3) if their father was short, and 3.7 (95% CI = 3.4-4.0) if both parents were short. RRs of being tall (i.e., in the highest height quintile) were 2.3 (95% CI = 2.1-2.5), 2.4 (95% CI = 2.2-2.6), and 4.4 (95% CI = 4.1-4.8) if their mother, father or both were tall, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have shown, for the first time, that leg:trunk length ratio and arm length aggregate within families. Concordance seemed to be stronger for tall than short heights.
authors: Division of Genetics and Epidemiology, Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5NG, United Kingdom. Danielle.Morris@icr.ac.uk
authors: Danielle H
authors: DH
authors: Morris
authors: Michael E
authors: ME
authors: Jones
authors: Minouk J
authors: MJ
authors: Schoemaker
authors: Alan
authors: A
authors: Ashworth
authors: Anthony J
authors: AJ
authors: Swerdlow
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000886:Anthropometry; D001132:Arm / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000254:growth & development; D001827:Body Height; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000254:growth & development; D008875:Middle Aged; D016012:Poisson Distribution; D012044:Regression Analysis; D006113:United Kingdom; D055815:Young Adult