Do children really grow faster in spring?

Children today are faced with many challenges along their growth path: academic performance, skills in interest classes, and even height has become a secret competition among parents. In this age of "neither rolling up nor lying flat", who doesn't want their children to be as tall as a pine tree? So parents are using all kinds of tricks: some are frantically taking supplements and practicing rope skipping, some are superstitious about "height-increasing stickers" and "height-increasing milk powder", and even calculating the seasons, believing that "spring will bring a sudden growth in height".

Today, let's discuss: Is spring a peak season for growth? How to help children grow taller? Is the legendary "growth milk powder" a "tax on IQ"? Help children avoid misunderstandings about growth and grow up healthily.

01 In which season do children grow the fastest?

"Store in winter and grow in spring!" "A year's plan begins in spring!" "Children grow twice as fast in spring as in other seasons!" We may have heard these sayings about spring being good for children's height development. So, what is the truth?

Let me give you the answer first: there is currently no authoritative research to prove that spring is more suitable for children's growth than other seasons.

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Normal human growth does have seasonality, with faster growth in the spring and summer, according to the UpToDate database of evidence-based medicine, which cites a 1994 study.

In addition, a Canadian study surveyed children aged 8.5 to 18 and found that boys' growth in the summer accounted for 67% of the total growth of the year, and girls' growth accounted for 60%, far exceeding the growth rate in the winter. Another Danish study sorted out the seasonal changes in the height of children aged 8 to 11 and found that the height growth rate reached the highest level of the year from January to April, that is, in spring.

Domestic research results are also different. Follow-up data from a child health clinic in Shanghai from 1980 to 1990 found that height grew faster in spring and summer; another study of 6,168 infants and young children from 1998 to 2003 also supported this view. However, a study in Changzhi City, Shanxi Province in 1985 and a study in Jincheng City from 1994 to 1995 both showed that the best growth season for children's height is autumn. Subsequently, the results of experts' research in 2005-2006 showed that the height growth of 8-year-old children in Huanggang City had obvious seasonal characteristics, with the best growth season in spring, and the best season for 3-year-old children's height growth was spring and autumn, and the worst was winter.

In summary, whether it is domestic or foreign research, the conclusions of different ages, regions, sample sizes and countries are not completely consistent. Although spring is not the only answer, overall, people tend to believe that height growth is faster in spring and summer.

02 How to help children grow taller?

To help children grow taller, we must first clarify what factors affect their height. Children's height is mainly regulated by multiple factors such as genetics, endocrine, nutrition, and environment. Among them, genetic factors account for about 70% of the influence, but acquired efforts are equally important. Acquired factors mainly include the balance of various hormones in the body (such as growth hormone and other hormones that promote growth), the development of bones and muscles, and the body's ability to adapt to nutrition and the environment.

When genetic factors cannot be changed, parents focus on compensating for genetic defects through acquired efforts. By analyzing the lifestyle that affects acquired factors, we have summarized the following suggestions: In simple terms, it is nutrition + exercise + sleep + psychology.

Nutritional management

Balanced diet: Consume adequate amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, etc. to support overall growth and development.

Take high-quality trace mineral zinc: Zinc plays an important role in cell growth, immune function, protein synthesis and DNA synthesis. Zinc deficiency can lead to growth retardation. High-quality sources of zinc include beef, oysters, pumpkin seeds, etc. Avoid excessive grains that affect mineral absorption.

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Supplement key nutrients: Vitamin D3 helps calcium absorption. 10-15 minutes of mild sunlight every day can naturally synthesize vitamin D3 and promote bone health. The secretion of growth hormone by the pituitary gland is the key to promoting height growth. Supplementing foods containing tyrosine and arginine (such as fish and beans) in moderation can assist the pituitary gland in secreting growth hormone.

Scientific Movement

Exercise can stimulate the secretion of growth hormone and help bone and muscle development. Jumping (skipping rope, basketball) and stretching (horizontal bar, gymnastics) exercises are particularly beneficial. It is recommended to do it 3-5 times a week, 30 minutes each time.

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Sleep protection

The secretion of growth hormone during deep sleep is more than three times that of the awake state. Lack of sleep will inhibit its secretion, thus affecting height growth. Children need 8-10 hours of sleep and avoid blue light interference from screens before going to bed.

Psychological adjustment

Academic anxiety or family conflicts will increase cortisol, inhibit the secretion of growth hormone, and affect height growth. You can relieve stress and maintain emotional stability through parent-child communication and interest activities.

Through the above measures, we can better help children achieve healthy growth in spring and summer and maximize their growth potential.

03 Is height growth milk powder useful?

As for dairy products, all milk powder contains nutrients such as protein, fat, vitamins, and trace elements such as calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, and zinc, which are essential for children's height growth. However, as the domestic infant formula milk powder market gradually becomes saturated, more and more manufacturers are beginning to focus on the children's milk powder market and link product promotion with concepts such as "growing taller" to attract consumers' attention.

Regarding the so-called "height-growing" milk powder, merchants claim that in addition to supplementing calcium, this type of product also adds colostrum alkaline protein, which is said to directly promote bone growth. Although some studies have confirmed that adding bovine colostrum alkaline protein can reduce bone loss caused by long-term low calcium intake in rats and is beneficial to bone health, this has not been proven to have a significant effect on the height of rats, let alone children. The nutritional difference between height-growing milk powder and ordinary milk powder is limited, so you need to choose rationally.

04 Misconceptions about children’s height growth

Over-reliance on specific foods or health products: believing that they can directly promote children's height growth. On the one hand, the importance of healthy living habits is ignored, and on the other hand, these drugs may cause problems such as precocious puberty, which will affect the child's final height. In addition, blind pursuit of calcium supplements and growth hormones is also common.

Over-exaggerating the influence of genetics on height: Although genetics plays an important role in height, it does not mean that if the parents are short, the child will definitely be short. Genetic information may influence and cross-talk in multiple generations. Understanding and balancing the influence of genetic and environmental factors on height is crucial to promoting growth.

Ignoring important height development rules: When discussing the growth rules of children's height, we often ignore some important scientific information. From birth to one year old, the child's height growth rate is the fastest, about 25 cm a year. The subsequent one to three years old period is also particularly critical, with an average annual growth of 8-12 cm. Before the age of three is the first growth peak after birth, which is extremely important for the child's final height. Before entering puberty, the child's height growth has begun to accumulate.

Therefore, if a child's growth rate is significantly lower than the standard for the same age and gender, parents should seek medical attention as soon as possible to rule out potential growth and development problems such as growth hormone deficiency, hypothyroidism, and precocious puberty. Such early intervention is crucial for the healthy development of children. Adolescence is the second growth peak, and continuous attention should be paid to nutrition and exercise.

Misconception: Girls will not grow taller after menstruation: The time of the first menstruation is indeed related to height, but it does not mean that they cannot continue to grow taller. Girls can grow an average of 5-8 cm after menarche, but there are large individual differences.

There is more than one way to grow taller. Good genes are important, but diet, exercise, and psychology are also important. Only through scientific methods and a healthy lifestyle can we better help children grow up healthily.

Source: Chongqing Science and Technology Museum

Author: Wei Yi, PhD of Chongqing Medical University, one of the top ten science popularization ambassadors in China, and head of the Medical Voice Broadcasting Science Popularization Practice Group

Audit expert: Li Chunli

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