Secular changes in the growth of Toronto children during the last century.

A comparison of measurements of height is made from the late 19th century to early and mid-20th century in Toronto School children. Changes in total attained stature for age is compared for girls and boys to assess secular trends in height of urban children from Southern Ontario. The data clearly show a positive trend toward increased attained height for age from the earliest to most recent data. Comparison of the Toronto growth profiles to other published 18th and 19th century growth data demonstrates that the secular trend in the Canadian children is a reflection of the continued global trend towards increased height. The implications of this changing pattern over time are discussed in the context of changing urban health and nutrition in the greater Toronto area.