Moscow University
Anthropology
Bulletin
Anthropology
Bulletin
Lomonosov Moscow State University, Anuchin Institute and Museum of Anthropology, Mochovaya st., 11, Moscow, 125009, Russia
Gorbacheva Anna K., PhD, angoria@yandex.ru; Fedotova Tatiana K., PhD, DSc, tatiana.fedotova@mail.ru.
Introduction. Spatial and temporal variations of the main anthropometric dimensions – body length and mass, chest and head circumferences – of the early age children are under consideration. Specific biological peculiarities of this ontogenesis period are discussed, which may influence the character and level of anthropoecological associations. Materials and methods. The subject of study is the wide set of ethnic and territorial samples of Russian Federation and former USSR children aged 2 and 3 years, 166 and 256 samples respectively, obtained from the collections of material on physical development of children printed regularly once a decade from 1950th till now by Science Research Institute of Child and Adolescents Hygiene and Health Protection. Each age and sex group has not less than 100 patients, the data was collected according to the common requirements and are comparable. Thus, secular dynamics are observed over the last 60 years. The following parameters are examined as the factors of geographical variability: insolation level as the factor of skeletal growth; the latitude of the residence, indirectly characterizing the same insolation level; the difference between minimal and maximal month temperatures as the factor of ecological discomfort; minimal January temperature as the factor of body mass variability; total climate discomfort evaluated as the influence of the sum of main climatic parameters – temperature balance, winter duration, winter wind frequency, etc. – on life conditions. Results. The long-term dynamics of the main anthropometric characteristics of the early age children are significant increase of the body length combined with the less pronounced increase of the body mass and temporal stability of the chest and head circumferences, which leads to the secular increase of the leptosomy of the early age child somatotype. The geographical gradient of the decrease in overall dimensions of children aged 2 and 3 years from north to south is shown, accompanying the increase of the level of insolation. Conclusion. The more significant contribution to the variation of the total body dimensions belongs to the geographical factor (the level of insolation) as compared to the secular factor (in fact the level of the anthropogenic stress). Thus, it’s possible to discuss the deep associations of the human organism with the biosphere, though mediated by the artificial anthropogenic environment.
аuxology; body length and mass; chest and head circumferences; secular trends; geographical variability
DOI: 10.32521/2074-8132.2018.2.055-066
Цит.: Gorbacheva A.K., Fedotova T.K. Space and temporal variability of the anthropometrical dimensions of the early age children // Moscow University Anthropology Bulletin (Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta. Seria XXIII. Antropologia), 2018; 2/2018; с. 55-66
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