Publication:

Utility of mid-parental height in predicting linear growth among school-aged children: a cross-sectional study

Background Aim was to evaluate the correlation between height of children aged 5-12 years and parental heights, including mid-parental height (MPH).

Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2022 to April 2024 at a tertiary care children’s hospital in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. A total of 580 children aged 5-12 years were included. Heights of children and parents were measured using a standardized stadiometer. MPH was calculated using sex-adjusted formulas. Data normality was assessed using the Shapiro-Wilk test, and non-parametric tests were applied as appropriate.

Results Among the participants, 58.45% were males. The mean age was 101.65±23.4 months, and mean height was 127.72±13.38 cm. Mean father’s height was 165.8±7.24 cm, mother’s height was 156.23±6.62 cm, and mean MPH was 162.11±8.91 cm. Overall, 33.45% of children were taller than their MPH, 63.62% were within the expected range, and 2.93% were below it. Children’s height showed significant positive correlations with father’s height (r=0.275), mother’s height (r=0.291), and MPH (r=0.223) (p<0.0001). No significant association was found with age or gender.

Conclusions Nearly one-third of children exceeded their MPH, suggesting early growth acceleration influenced by environmental and nutritional factors, supporting the need to revise Tanner’s formula and update growth charts.