Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Croydon]
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Children Born in 1928.—The boys are 0.5 inches taller and
1.6 lbs. heavier on the average than the girls. The average minimum
weight of the boys is 1.9 lbs. more and their average
minimum height 1.9 inches taller than the corresponding figures
for the girls. The average maximum weight of the boys is 2.2
lbs. more and their average maximum height 0.2 inches taller
than for the girls.
Children Born in 1927.—The boys are 0.4 inches taller and
1.2 lbs. heavier on the average than the girls. The average minimum
weight of the boys is 0.9 lbs. more and their average
minimum height 0.7 inches taller than the corresponding figures
for the girls. The average maximum weight of the boys is 1.6
lbs. more and their average maximum height 3.1 inches taller
than for the girls.
Children Born in 1925.—The boys are 0.5 inches shorter and
2.4 lbs. heavier on the average than the girls. The average minimum
weight of the boys is 2.4 lbs. more and their average
minimum height 0.7 inches taller that the corresponding figures
for the girls. The average maximum weight of the boys is 2.6
lbs. more than the girls and their average maximum height is the
same as for the girls.
Children Born in 1921.—The boys in this group were 0.9
inches shorter and 4.5 lbs. lighter on the average than the girls.
The average minimum weight of the boys is 2.9 lbs. greater and
their average minimum height 0.7 ins. shorter than the girls.
The average maximum weight of the boys is 6.0 lbs. lighter and
their average maximum height 1.6 ins. shorter than for the girls.
In this group as a whole the boys are shorter and lighter than
the girls, but the former are a more uniform group : the girls
exhibiting greater fluctuations around the mean average.
The average minima of heights and weights are taken by
selecting the shortest and lightest scholar in any particular group
for each school and taking the average of the figures so obtained.
The average maxima heights and weights are also obtained in
the same way.
The figures again show that the period of most rapid growth
in stature is earlier in boys than in girls, the latter grow most
rapidly and put on most weight during the last years of school
life; boys, on the contrary, appear to grow most rapidly between
8 and 12 years of age.