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5. ANTHROPOMETRY AND SECULAR TRENDS IN SARATOV (RUSSIA)

ANTHROPOMETRY AND SECULAR TRENDS IN SARATOV (RUSSIA)

Lehmann Andreas (1), Ivanova Elena (2), Godina Elena (2), Scheffler Christiane (1)

1) Human Biology Department; University of Potsdam, Germany; 2) Research Institute and Museum of Anthropology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia

Lehmann Andreas, e-mail: andreleh@uni-potsdam.de.

Abstract

Growth and development are influenced by different environmental factors, like nutrition, health, socioeconomic life circumstances, and psychosocial factors. The analysis of pattern in growth and development is an important tool to observe growth trends over time and leading to a better understanding of children’s growth and development under specific life circumstances. Little is known about the changes and secular trend in growth and sexual development in Saratov over the last decades. In this study anthropometric data of schoolgirls (aged 6-18 years) of the Russian city Saratov were analyzed. The investigations took place in three different years; 1969, 2004, and 2011 including an overall number of 2110 girls. The data involve measurements of height, weight, and other body measurements. Of these variables, body mass index, metric index and frame index were calculated. In addition information on secondary sexual characteristics and menarcheal age were collected to describe sexual development of the girls. The data were analyzed with Least-Mean-Square-method (LMS) (Cole 1990) and Probit-analysis (Finney 1971) to visualize the results. A comparison of anthropometric data and different stages of sexual development over the time showed that girls from 2011 are taller and heavier than from 1969. This is true for all age groups. Furthermore, mean menarcheal age decreased in the analyzed time period while BMI changed only little. The presented results of Saratov will be discussed in the light of secular trend and with implications on modern health related questions, like obesity and skeletal robustness.

Keywords

anthropometry, sexual development, menarcheal age, secular trend

Цит.: Lehmann Andreas, Ivanova Elena, Godina Elena, Scheffler Christiane ANTHROPOMETRY AND SECULAR TRENDS IN SARATOV (RUSSIA) // Moscow University Anthropology Bulletin (Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta. Seria XXIII. Antropologia), 2014; 3/2014; с. 55-55