A Statistical Investigation of Age-Height Against Historical Period

Changes in growth in regards to historical period were examined using Ministry of Education statistics. Furthermore, results of investigation concerning future possibilities as against the recent of appearance growth acceleration are also presented as follows.1) The phenomena of growth acceleration and retardation can be observed, not by viewing data in terms of date of birth, but by measurement year, in other words, these phenomena are governed not by the individuals age, but according to period of history.2) Growth acceleration was not were acceleration but appears as growth advancement.3) Growth degeneration at the beginning of World War II and degeneration in 1937 and 38 were due in large measure to the affects of natural calamity.4) The state in the post-war period was a re-appearance of the Meij i Era. Recovery in the immediate post-war years can be thought to be the result of improvement in individual nutrition, and this correlates to the average living conditions in pre-war years. After this, nutritional improvement in the mother's body became a factor and growth acceleration was maintained. However, from 1964, which can be seen as a return to the living conditions of the early Showa Era, growth acceleration became slowed and the present increase in height can be considered a natural tendency and no longer viewed as growth acceleration .5) The influence of unfavorable nutritional conditions in the final growth stage inhibits final height, but unfavorable influences in eariler growth stages seem to be remedied by nutritional improvement.6) It was seen that, besides the nutrition of the individual, the nutritional improve ment of the mother has a great effect on the child.