The Burg Wartenstein Symposia have become rightly celebrated for achieving their original purpose: to be of service and interest to the anthropological profes sion as a whole and to contribute to related sciences. We are specially grateful to the Board of Directors of the Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research for the award of a symposium on Physical Anthropology and Nutritional Status. We had considered that such a subject was timely and that an inter-disciplinary approach would contribute useful knowledge in a most important area--particularly in the field of child health. This pUblication of the proceedings will show the degree of success of these aims. Mrs. Lita Osmundsen, Director of Research at the Wenner-Gren Foundation, not only steered us in the early stages but, during our delightful time at Burg Wartenstein, and subsequently, she has been that most charming of crosses--den mother and first class science administrator. We are deeply grateful to her. And grateful, too, for the organization and friendly warm spoiling by the Wenner-Gren staff in residence at Burg Wartenstein. Our nutritional status was high. Nothing was too much trouble for them and it was a wrench to leave and say goodbye to them. The Foundation has since supported our efforts towards this publication. Here we owe a very special debt of gratitide to the cooperation and friendly exper tise of Mr. Seymour Weingarten, Senior Editor of the Plenum Publishing Corporation, aided by Mr. John Matzka, Managing Editor of this Corporation."

Growth, Maturation and Body Composition documents one of the most remarkable and significant studies in the field of human biology. The Fels Longitudinal Study is the longest, largest and most productive serial study of human growth, maturation and body composition. This book shows how data collected from more than 1000 participants during the past 60 years have been analysed to test a wide range of hypotheses, and describes how the findings have led to the development of improved research methods. Topics covered include the management and analysis of data, prenatal, familial and genetic studies, physical growth, development and maturation, bones and teeth, body composition, and risk factors for cardiovascular disease. With more than 1000 specialized publications of Fels data, the present book provides a unique overview of this fascinating research programme, which will be of interest to a wide range of researchers, including those in the fields of physical anthropology, nutrition science, pediatrics, gerontology, epidemiology, endocrinology, human genetics, as well as statistics.

Many researchers and professionals need to be able to measure, assess and interpret human growth between birth and adulthood. However, much of the methodology is scattered in diverse literature. Human Growth: Assessment and Interpretation provides a complete reference to the field for all those who measure and assess child growth. It emphasises the interpretation of growth data taking into account the adjusted effects of influences such as genes, hormones and substance abuse during pregnancy, gives descriptions of normal and abnormal growth patterns, and of variant growth patterns such as failure-to-thrive and catch-up growth. Including methods to measure size and maturity, the judgement and interpretation of recorded data, evaluations of influences on growth and the significance of abnormal growth, it will be an essential source of information for pediatricians, human biologists, health workers, nutritionists, epidemiologists and others who are responsible for the health and welfare of children.

Growth, Maturation and Body Composition documents one of the most remarkable and significant studies in the field of human biology. The Fels Longitudinal Study is the longest, largest and most productive serial study of human growth, maturation and body composition. This book shows how data collected from more than 1000 participants during the past 60 years have been analysed to test a wide range of hypotheses, and describes how the findings have led to the development of improved research methods. Topics covered include the management and analysis of data, prenatal, familial and genetic studies, physical growth, development and maturation, bones and teeth, body composition, and risk factors for cardiovascular disease. With more than 1000 specialized publications of Fels data, the present book provides a unique overview of this fascinating research programme, which will be of interest to a wide range of researchers, including those in the fields of physical anthropology, nutrition science, pediatrics, gerontology, epidemiology, endocrinology, human genetics, as well as statistics.