FAMILY RESEMBLANCE FOR PREECE-BAINES GROWTH CURVE PARAMETERS IN THE FELS LONGITUDINAL GROWTH STUDY

The Preece-Baines Model 1 (PB1) nonlinear regression equation was fit to serial stature measurements from 456 participants in the Fels Longitudinal Growth Study. The resulting model parameters and derived biological parameters, such as age, stature, and velocity at take-off (TO) and peak velocity (PV) are analyzed for family resemblance in 228 nuclear families through estimation of familial correlations and path coefficients. Significant family resemblance was found for all of the growth parameters. Transmissibility estimates ranged from 41%-71%, suggesting that some of the factors controlling the timing and shape of the adolescent growth spurt are transmitted from parent to child. Significant gender effects were found in sibling resemblance, with brother-brother pairs more similar than other pairs for age at TO and PV and sister-sister pairs more alike for stature at TO and PV and for velocity at PV.