Athlete and Auxologist: James Tanner's Interest in Physique and his Role in Establishing the Short Stature of Children as a Medical Classification

Abstract:British growth and development expert James Mourilyan Tanner was a central figure in the twentieth century in measuring and treating children considered shorter than optimal for a satisfactory life. This paper contends that his well-known and extensive studies and charts of children's growth were colored by his continuing interest in body classification systems and athlete development. Influenced by his prowess as an Olympic hurdler and practical involvement with the somatotyping studies of William Sheldon and Margaret Mead, we suggest that Tanner's interest in physique may have prompted his early involvement in promoting human growth hormone for small, non-athletic children.