본 연구는 우리나라 남자중학생들의 골격성숙도를 TW2방법을 이용하여 골격성숙도에 따른 생물학적 연령과 성인시 신장을 비교 검토하는데 있으며 연구대상은 서울시에 소재한 K중학교 1학년부터 3학년까지 총 394명을 집단무선표집법에 의하여 선정하였고 골격성숙4도를 측정하여 생물학적 연령을 체격요인 등과 비교하고 이를 토대로 성인시 키를 추정한 결과 연령별 골연령 결과는 12세에 13.26세, 13세에 14.43세, 14세에 16.21세, 15세에 17.17세로 물리학적 연령보다 생물학적 연령이 높음을 알 수 있었고 골격성숙도와 체격요인간의 상관관계를 보면 골격성숙접수와 키의 상관계수는 0.72, 몸무게는 0.64, 체지방율은 0.24로 매우 유의한(P<.001) 정상관을 나타냈으며, 골격성숙도별 체격을 비교한 결과는 미숙군, 보통군, 조숙군의 세 그룹간에는 키, 몸무게에서 매우 유의하게(P<.001) 차이가 있는 것으로 나타났으며 성인시 키의 추정치는 12세가 175.24cm, 13세가 174.78cm, 14세의 성인시 키는 174.05cm, 15세의 성인시 키는 174.39cm로 추정되었다.

The aims of this study were to analyze the present state of skeletal maturation and to predict adult height in middle school girls. The sample of the study consisted of a total of 394 middle school gills aged 12-15 years. Body mass was measured with a beam balance accurate to 0.1kg, and stature was taken with a Martin`s anthropometer. Radiographs of the left hand and wrist were taken with an 31 portable(70kVp; 20mA) X-ray unit assembled in a portable apparatus designed and constructed according to the recommendations of Greulich and Pyle(1959). Skeletal age was determined by RUS scores(radius, ulna, and short bones) with TW2 method(Tanner et al., 1983). All skeletal maturity assessments of the samples were made by author. The reliability of the ratings by the study assessor was tested using a random sample of radiographs from 30 Boys aged 12-15 years. The absolute mean difference between first and second assessment was 0.17 years for the RUS(SD=0.27) system and 0,20 years for carpal(SD=0.26) system. Therefore, intra-observer reliability for skeletal age assessments were comparable with results of previous studies(Beunen et al. 1990; Song et al., 1998). Adult height were predicted by means of the Tanner-Whitehouse`s age and sex related regression equations involving three variables of height, chronological age, bone age. All analyses were carried out by the SAS computer programs(SAS Institute, 1988). Skeletal maturity state was estimated by the calculation of 3, 10, 25, 50, 75, 90, and 97 percentiles. Comparisons between levels of maturity were applied by means of analysis of variance(ANOVA) and Duncan`s a posteriori tests. The results showed that in the boys, RUS scores increase nearly linearly between 12 and 15 years of age boys. RUS scores in boys varied from 463.98 for 12 years to 881.03 for 15 years. Percentiles based on the RUS scores were largely distributed between 25th and 50th. Bone ages were 13.46 for 12 years, 14.43 for 13 years, 16.21 for 14 years, 17.17 for 15 years. Adult heights were predicted 175.24cm for 12 years, 174.78cm for 13 years, 174.05cm for 14 years, 174.39cm for 15 year.