Sibling Correlations for Weight/Stature and Calf Circumference: Age Changes and Possible Sex Linkage

Document Type

Article

Authors

Pamela J. Byard, Wright State University School of Medicine, Yellow Springs, Ohio and Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
Roger M. Siervogel, Wright State University School of Medicine, Yellow Springs, Ohio
Alex F. Roche, Wright State University School of Medicine, Yellow Springs, Ohio

Abstract

Longitudinal measurements of weight/stature or weight/recumbent length2 and calf circumference from the Fels Longitudinal Study of Growth were used to calculate correlations for sibling pairs measured at the same age from one year to adulthood. Results are compared with those from an earlier analysis of stature (Byard et al. 1983). Unlike cross-sectional studies of adult siblings, the present analysis does not report consistently higher correlations for stature than for the two indicators of body build. Instead, the magnitude of the correlations is found to depend on the age and type of pairing (e.g., brother-brother, sister-sister, brother-sister). The pattern of sibling sub-type correlations is suggestive of sex-linkage for weight/stature and calf circumference in growing children, but not for stature.

Recommended Citation

Byard, Pamela J.; Siervogel, Roger M.; and Roche, Alex F. (1983) "Sibling Correlations for Weight/Stature and Calf Circumference: Age Changes and Possible Sex Linkage," Human Biology: Vol. 55: Iss. 3, Article 12.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/humbiol/vol55/iss3/12