Early Childhood Growth Influences Pubertal Development and Adult Height

Recent research presented at the joint congress of the European Society of Pediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) and the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE) emphasizes the significant role of growth during the first two years of life in determining final adult height and pubertal growth patterns. While early-life growth considerably impacts pubertal development and the ultimate adult stature, it appears to have little effect on the timing of puberty itself.

The study analyzed data from 4,700 individuals of Nordic ethnicity, born in 1974 and 1990, focusing on their height measurements, birth details, and parental heights. Applying the Quadratic-Exponential-Pubertal-Stop (QEPS) growth model, researchers found that early childhood growth accounted for approximately 38% of variation in pubertal growth, whereas changes in height during puberty explained only about 9% of the differences in adult height. Notably, about 67% of the variation in adult height was linked to early childhood growth, with further contributions from birth size and parental height.

Interestingly, the timing of puberty was not significantly influenced by growth in early childhood, suggesting that genetics and environmental factors might be more critical in determining pubertal timing. Dr. Carin Skogastierna from the University of Gothenburg explained that, "While early growth influences pubertal growth and final height, pubertal timing appears to be governed by other determinants."

The study also highlights the importance of utilizing the QEPS growth model, which allows researchers to analyze specific growth phases separately—a significant advancement over traditional models that mainly focus on weight or overall growth patterns. The findings support the idea that early-life health initiatives can have lasting impacts on individuals' physical development and overall well-being.

Understanding how early childhood growth relates to long-term health and socio-economic factors is ongoing. Dr. Skogastierna emphasized that poor early growth might correlate with lower well-being in adolescence and increased health risks in adulthood. Thus, investing in healthcare and nutritional support for young children could provide substantial societal benefits.

The full study is published in the journal Pediatric Research (2025). Source