Citations, not vibes

Every number on this site has a paper behind it.

CDC 2000 stature LMS files are public U.S. government data. Mid-parental height is Tanner 1970. The optional weight model is Khamis–Roche 1994, coefficients corrected in 1995. We do not sell bone-lengthening.

2000 CDC Growth Charts for the United States

Kuczmarski RJ, Ogden CL, Guo SS, et al.

Vital and Health Statistics, Series 11, No. 246. National Center for Health Statistics, 2002.

Official U.S. stature-for-age LMS parameters used to compute z-scores, percentiles, and the age-20 projection.

Open source

Predicting adult stature without using skeletal age: the Khamis-Roche method

Khamis HJ, Roche AF.

Pediatrics. 1994;94(4):504-507. Erratum: Pediatrics. 1995;95(3):457.

Gold-standard non-X-ray adult-height prediction from the Fels Longitudinal Study (current height, weight, age, mid-parental height).

Open source

Standards for children's height at ages 2–9 years, allowing for height of parents

Tanner JM, Goldstein H, Whitehouse RH.

Archives of Disease in Childhood. 1970;45(244):755-762.

Classic sex-adjusted mid-parental target height (the ±8.5 cm genetic range on the results page).

Open source

Target height as predicted by parental heights in a population-based study

Luo ZC, Albertsson-Wikland K, Karlberg J.

Pediatric Research. 1998;44(4):563-571.

Regression that corrects Tanner’s bias for very short or very tall parents (heritability ~0.75–0.78 in centimetres).

Open source

Accurate prediction of children’s target height from their mid-parental height

Zeevi D, et al.

Children (Basel). 2024;11(8):916.

Shows the male–female gap is not a flat 13 cm on CDC charts, and that a multiplicative sex correction fits adult percentiles better.

Open source

Heritability of adult body height: a comparative study of twin cohorts in eight countries

Silventoinen K, Sammalisto S, Perola M, et al.

Twin Research. 2003;6(5):399-408.

Height heritability is typically 0.80 in affluent populations — genetics set the ceiling; environment decides whether you reach it.

Open source

A saturated map of common genetic variants associated with human height

Yengo L, Vedantam S, Marouli E, et al.

Nature. 2022;610:704-712.

More than 12,000 SNPs influence stature. Parent heights already capture most of that polygenic signal without a DNA test.

Open source

Physiology of growth hormone secretion during sleep

Van Cauter E, Plat L.

Journal of Pediatrics. 1996;128(5 Pt 2):S32-S37.

The largest daily pulse of growth hormone is tied to slow-wave (deep) sleep, especially early in the night.

Open source

Complex relationship between growth hormone and sleep in children

Iughetti L, et al.

Frontiers in Endocrinology. 2023;14:1332114.

Reviews the GH–sleep loop in children: deep sleep supports GH release; GH disorders can also disrupt sleep.

Open source

Recommended amount of sleep for pediatric populations

American Academy of Sleep Medicine / AAP policy.

Pediatrics. 2016;138(2):e20161601 (Paruthi et al., J Clin Sleep Med 2016).

Ages 6–12: 9–12 hours. Ages 13–18: 8–10 hours. These are the windows PredictHeight uses for sleep targets.

Open source

Effectiveness of food-based intervention to improve linear growth of children under five

Aguayo VM, et al. (meta-analysis).

Nutrients. 2023;15(11):2430.

Food-based protein and micronutrient interventions improve height-for-age in undernourished children — not in already well-fed kids.

Open source

Effect of preventive zinc supplementation on linear growth

Imdad A, Bhutta ZA.

BMC Public Health. 2011;11(Suppl 3):S22.

Zinc helps linear growth mainly when a child is deficient. Extra zinc does not make a replete child taller.

Open source

Vitamin D supplementation and bone mass in children

Winzenberg T, Powell S, Shaw KA, Jones G.

BMJ. 2011;342:c7254.

Vitamin D supports bone mineralisation. Routine mega-doses do not increase stature in children who are not deficient.

Open source

Physical activity and training: effects on stature and the adolescent growth spurt

Malina RM.

Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 1994;26(6):759-766.

Ordinary sport does not stunt growth. Extreme energy deficit (some gymnastics, wrestling, dance) can delay puberty and reduce tempo.

Open source

Youth resistance training: updated position statement

Faigenbaum AD, et al. (NSCA).

Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2009;23(5 Suppl):S60-S79.

Supervised resistance training is safe for kids and does not close growth plates. It is not a height drug — it builds bone and muscle around the genetic plan.

Open source

Exercise before puberty may confer residual benefits in bone density in adulthood

Bass S, Pearce G, Bradney M, et al.

Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. 1998–2000 series on loading and bone.

Jumping, sprinting, and racquet sports are osteogenic during the growth years. They strengthen bone; they do not stretch it longer.

Open source

Growth and pubertal development in children and adolescents: effects of diet and physical activity

Rogol AD, Clark PA, Roemmich JN.

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2000;72(2 Suppl):521S-528S.

Calories, protein, and a healthy pubertal tempo — not a single superfood — determine whether a child tracks their genetic percentile.

Open source

Late adolescent growth in stature

Roche AF, Davila GH.

Pediatrics. 1972;50(6):874-880.

Some boys still add height after 18; most girls are done 1–2 years after menarche. PredictHeight uses this to label the growth window.

Open source