[Dynamics of the growth intensity of Jena school children since 1880].

The intensity of growth of Jena school children at the age of 7 to 14 years has been investigated between 1880 and 1985. In the regarded 105 years the intensity of growth showed little changes with the tendency of a gradual increase. The analysis differentiated for age reveals partially different results compared for the whole interval between 7 and 14 years. These differences result from a shifting of phases of intensified growth into ontogenetically earlier age stages, which can be traced back to the secular trend. The increase of the growth intensity caused by the secular trend is significantly smaller in the school age than in the preschool age.