Parent-Offspring Correlations of Sexually Matured Time, Body Height and Weight in an Albanian Human Population

Abstract

Few studies have evaluated the heritability on sexually matured time (SMT) in comparison with that on height and weight. Body
height and weight measurements and self-reported data of STM were obtained from Shkodra University students and their parents. The
age at first menstrual period or menarche (AM) and at the first ejaculation or andrarche (AA) were used as indexes of SMT. Female
students and theirs mothers AM resulted 13.44 and 14.12 years old, respectively. The difference was statistically highly significant,
demostrating a decrease trend of SMT. Male students and their fathers AA were 14.14 and 15.63 years old, respectively. This difference
also resulted highly significant. These findings showed that the acceleration of SMT is present in Albania for both sexes. Parent-daughter
correlation coefficient for SMT was 0.4, parent-son correlation one was 0.41, while the SMT estimated heritability was 0.48, indicating
that SMT is highly heritable trait in both sexes. It was notable that mother-daughter correlation (0.54) was much higher than fatherdaughter
one (0.12). The body height of male students and their fathers was 172.8 cm and 171.5 cm, respectively, showing no
significant difference. The body height of female students and their mothers were 164 cm and 162.2 cm, respectively. This difference
resulted significant, indicating an increase trend of body height in females. The estimated heritability of body height resulted 0.76.
Meanwhile the body weight one resulted 0.38, considerably lower than that of height. These preliminary heritability values, estimated for
the first time in Albanian population, resulted compatible with other reports.