The Effect of Parental Height on a Child's Final Height in Turkish Society and the Validation of the Midparental Height Formula

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to assess the validity of the traditional midparental height (MPH) formula in predicting a child's final height in the Turkish population and to compare different models for better accuracy.

Materials and Methods: A total of 988 university students (594 females, 394 males) and their parents were included in the study. Height measurements were obtained using a standardized ultrasonographic device. Various models based on MPH were tested, and the correlation between subject height, MPH, and parental heights was analyzed. Statistical analyses, including correlation and general linear models, were performed to determine the best model for predicting height.

Results: The mean height of female students was 164.5 cm, while for males, it was 177.7 cm. On average, actual height exceeded MPH by 3.8 cm in females and 2.69 cm in males. Correlation analysis revealed moderate to strong associations between subject height and MPH (r=0.537 for girls, r=0.487 for boys). The best predictive model was found to be Model 4, which incorporated coefficients for maternal and paternal height, with distinct formulas for males and females.

Conclusion: The traditional MPH formula demonstrated a significant prediction error in the Turkish population. Our study suggests that maternal and paternal heights influence final height differently based on gender and other factors. The model developed in this study offers better predictive accuracy but requires further validation in larger, diverse populations to confirm its global applicability.