Statistical methods and applications in growth and development - SITAR, LMS and IOTF

对人类成长和发展的研究涉及对大小及其随时间变化的评估和总结。评估可以在几个不同的时间尺度上进行：例如，一次性的，即使用生长参考来评估规模的单一测量；以及较长期的，在较长的一段时间内进行的几次测量，确定个人生长曲线的形状。这两个时间尺度都涉及作者以前研究过的统计问题：他的LMS方法(1992)用于构建增长参考，以及他的Sitar混合效应增长模型(2010)用于分析增长曲线。这笔赠款的目的是推进这两个主题：提供基于网络的软件，以取代作者流行但现已老化的Excel插件LMSGrowth和用于操作增长数据的PC程序LMSchartaker；以及通过扩展现有的专用R库并突出该方法的进一步新颖应用，继续开发他的Sitar模型，该模型由目前的MRC赠款提供资金。

The study of human growth and development involves the assessment and summary of size and how it changes over time. Assessment can take place on several different timescales: e.g. one-off, i.e. a single measurement to assess size using a growth reference; and longer term, where several measurements over an extended period of time define the shape of the individual's growth curve. Both timescales involve statistical issues that the author has previously studied: his LMS method (1992) for constructing growth references, and his SITAR mixed effects growth model for analysing growth curves (2010). The aim of the grant is to progress both topics: providing web-based software to replace the author's popular but now ageing Excel add-in LMSgrowth and PC program LMSchartmaker for manipulating growth data; and continuing to develop his SITAR model, as funded with a current MRC grant, by extending the existing dedicated R library and highlighting further novel applications of the method.