Auxology is the scientific discipline dedicated to the study of human growth and development, with particular emphasis on the patterns, timing, and biological regulation of physical growth from infancy through adolescence. It integrates medical, biological, anthropological, and clinical perspectives to examine both normal and pathological growth processes, including somatic development, skeletal maturation, and pubertal progression. Historically, Auxology evolved from early anthropometric observations and the emergence of statistical reasoning, which established growth as a measurable and variable biological phenomenon. The discovery of X-rays in the late nineteenth century represented a major methodological advance, enabling direct assessment of skeletal maturation and leading to the development of standardized bone age methods, such as the Greulich and Pyle atlas and the Tanner–Whitehouse system. In recent decades, digital imaging and computational approaches, including machine learning and artificial intelligence, have further enhanced the accuracy and reproducibility of growth assessment. Today, auxology constitutes a fundamental scientific framework in pediatric medicine, epidemiology, and public health for understanding human growth as a dynamic, multifactorial, and context-dependent process.
Auxology is the scientific study of human growth and development. Specifically, the term derives from the Greek verb Aὐξώ (auxo), meaning “to grow”, and designates the systematic investigation of growth processes and their variations
[1]. In particular, its scope includes the examination of physical growth, maturation, and biological variation, as well as integrating genetic, environmental, nutritional, and socio-economic factors
[2]. Moreover, in both clinical and population-based contexts, Auxology provides basic frameworks for distinguishing normal growth patterns from pathological deviations.
Skeletal maturation is an essential indicator of biological development and a key component of auxological evaluation. Unlike chronological age (CA), skeletal age, on the other hand, also known as bone age (BA), reflects individual variability in growth tempo and maturation. Thus, its assessment is widely used in clinical practice to diagnose growth and pubertal disorders, estimate growth potential, and guide therapeutic interventions, making it a necessary tool in pediatric medicine
[3].
The evolution of Auxology has been marked by a transition from simple descriptive measurements to advanced computational approaches. Furthermore, traditional anthropometric data have been complemented by statistical modeling, growth references, and digital imaging techniques. As a result, these developments have enhanced the precision, standardization, and clinical applicability of growth assessment, therefore establishing Auxology as a data–driven and methodologically robust discipline.
This entry is adapted from the peer-reviewed paper 10.3390/encyclopedia6020031