A possibility of systematisation of anthropometric data of girls aged 12-15

The article describes an anthropometric cross-sectional study of 374 healthy schoolgirls aged 12-15 years from secondary schools of Tartu (Estonia). 29 body measurements and 9 skinfolds were measured. Mean skinfolds and 6 indices and ratios (including body mass index) were calculated. In each age group the data were systematized into 5 height-weight SD-classes according to the correspondence between body height and weight. The medium class lies between -0.5 SD and +0.5 SD of the respective age group mean (M +/- 0.5 SD); the other classes contain the respective outer values. All the subjects were assigned into one of the following five categories: three height/weight-concordant categories: I = small (small height-small weight), II = medium (medium height-medium weight), III = large (big height-big weight) and two height/weight-disconcordant categories: IV = so-called pyknomorphous, V = so-called leptomorphous. Categories IV and V thus contained three height/weight subclasses each. The body build categories differ significantly from each other within both groups (I-III and IV-V) in all age groups in all measured variables, except sternum length, abdomen length, trunk length, biacromial breadth, biiliocrystal breadth, femur breadth, ankle breadth, humerus breadth, wrist breadth, and head circumference for which no significant differences between pyknomorphous and leptomorphous categories were found. A multidimensional statistical model of body build might be used in girls going through puberty to systematize and compare morphological variables with other assessed characteristics in different applied studies, for example physiological, sociological, psychological, or nutritional.     

Morphometric variations of the lumbar vertebrae between Chinese and Indian adults.

A morphometric study of the lumbar vertebrae of 126 adult skeletons, 90 Chinese and 36 Indian, of both sexes without marginal osteophytes were performed. In each lumbar vertebra, the cephalad and caudad midsagittal diameters, the interpedicular diameter of the spinal canal as well as the midsagittal and transverse diameters and the height of the vertebral body were measured. The results showed that the midsagittal and transverse diameters, the heights of the lumbar vertebral bodies and the interpedicular diameters of the lumbar spinal canals increased progressively from L1 to L5, while the midsagittal diameters of the lumbar spinal canals decreased progressively from L1 to L5 in both Chinese and Indian adult skeletons. The lowest mean values of the cephalad and caudad midsagittal and the interpedicular diameters of the spinal canals in Chinese were found to be 5.04 +/- 0.15 mm at L5, 4.67 +/- 0.09 mm at L5 and 25.92 +/- 0.20 mm at L2, respectively, while in Indians they were found to be 4.54 +/- 0.18 mm at L5, 4.25 +/- 0.10 mm at L5 and 25.42 +/- 0.22 mm at L1, respectively. In addition, the mean diameters of the spinal canal and the vertebral body (except the height of the vertebral body) were significantly greater in the Chinese than in the Indian skeletons. The above findings indicate that the mean diameters of both the lumbar spinal canal and the vertebral body vary greatly between Chinese and Indian adults, i.e. there are no mean values of the vertebral dimensions that are valid for all populations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Cross-sectional growth study in patients with Turner's syndrome

The body height, weight and growth velocity were investigated in 416 patients with Turner's syndrome whose age ranged from 3 to 17 years. They were all prepubertal at the time of the present study. The chromosomal analysis revealed 45, X monosomy in 148 cases, mosaicism in 208 cases, and nonmosaic structural abnormalities of X chromosome in 60 cases. There were no significant differences in height, growth velocity and weight between the patients with the 45, X karyotype and those with other chromosomal variants at any age. Combined mean heights at 3, 10 and 17 years of age were 86.0 +/- 3.5 (m +/- SD), 116.7 +/- 5.8 and 136.8 +/- 4.8 cm, respectively. These values were below -2.0 SD of normal Japanese girls. The growth velocity was 6.0 +/- 0.5 cm/year at 4 years of age, but decreased gradually and was 1.6 +/- 0.7 cm/year at 17 years of age. The degree of overweight was within +/- 10% of ideal body weight for height between the ages of 3 and 8, 10-20% between the ages of 9 and 10, and 20-30% above the age of 11 years.     

Reliability of self-reported body height and weight of adult Japanese women

The purpose of this study was to validate the self-reported body height and weight of adult Japanese women. The subjects were women, aged 20-42 years, who participated in a survey on eating disorders in women in 1995. Physically measured height and weight data were obtained for 368 (89.8%) of the 469 women who self-reported their height and weight. The report-based heights and weights were compared with the measured values. The correlation coefficients for height and weight were 0.990 and 0.963 (p < 0.0001), respectively. Mean reported height was 0.1 cm shorter and mean reported weight 0.2 kg lighter than the measured values. Shorter women tended to report a taller height than their actual height, and heavier women to report a lower weight than their actual weight. Despite these limitations, the self-reported heights and weights of adult Japanese women were precise and accurate, and their use in epidemiological surveys is considered acceptable.     

Relationships between body dimensions and resting and working oxygen consumption in boys aged 11 to 18 years

The relationships between VO2 at rest, VO2max and VO2 during submaximal work on a treadmill with body weight, height and lean body mass assessed by densitometry were analyzed annually in 39 boys aged 11 to 18 years. Interindividual differences in VO2 at rest and VO2max during growth depended in the first place on interindividual differences in lean body mass, to a lesser extent on differences in body weight and least on differences in height. Intersubject differences in VO2 during submaximal work were primarily conditioned by differences in body weight, due to the fact that, at a given running speed, energy output depends on body weight. The differences in submaximal VO2 depended to a lesser extent on differences in lean body mass and least on differences in height. The relationships between VO2 increments and increases in body dimensions were somewhat different in 90 boys between the ages of 11 and 15 years: VO2max increments were determined primarily by changes in body weight and height, changes in lean body mass being of secondary importance. Increases in submaximal VO2 were influenced decisively by increments in body weight, followed by increments in lean body mass and least by increments in height. In the equation y = a.xb expressing the relationship of VO2max to body weight and height, the values of b at the ages of 14 and 15 years were 0.87 and 0.88 in relation to body weight, 2.63 and 2.72 in relation to height. These values are significantly higher than the theoretical values of 0.67 for body weight and 2.00 for height. Similar significant differences from these theoretical values were found for all values between the ages of 11 and 15 years.     

Relationship of functional residual capacity to various body measurements in normal sheep.

Functional residual capacity (FRC) was determined by nitrogen washout in 55 normal sheep. Data on various external body measurements were collected which included body weight, chest circumference, chest width, body length, height, and sternum length. In addition, data on wet lung weight and wet lung weight/body weight ratio were collected on 10 of the sheep. A significant correlation was found between FRC and all measured parameters except height and sternum length. Multiple linear regression of all external body measurements showed the best correlation of FRC to body weight and body length, while the addition of chest circumference and/or chest width did not significantly improve the correlation. Significant deviation from the population was noted in three sheep (5.5%) that had lung weight/body weight ratios which were significantly lower than the rest of the population.     

Body surface areas and K values in strain 13 guinea pigs with different body weights and ages

Body surface areas (BSA) were determined for strain 13 guinea pigs with body weights ranging from 191 to 1011 g. For this determination, the entire skin of each animal was removed immediately after death and flattened on a wax film with a homogeneous paper. The skin outlines on the paper were cut and weighed for determining BSA. The K value was calculated for each guinea pig as the ratio of BSA (cm2)/body weight (g)2/3. Significantly different K values of 11.31 +/- 0.11, 9.66 +/- 0.09, 9.22 +/- 0.05, and 9.17 +/- 0.05 were determined for average body weights of 218 +/- 24, 527 +/- 33, 706 +/- 60, and 943 +/- 30 g, respectively. By plotting these K values on semilog paper and determining the best fit curve of the slope, it was possible to extrapolate exponentially the K values for different body weights. The relationship between age and body weight was also established for guinea pigs, and a series of K values were determined from birth to 35 weeks of life. We conclude that a different K value should be used for calculating BSA for various ages and body weights of strain 13 guinea pigs.     

Body build structure of neonates

The paper presents anthropometric data on 292 healthy neonates delivered of normal births at the Women's Hospital of Tartu University (150 boys and 142 girls). The parameters of the neonates' physical development measured included height, weight, sitting height, length of sternum and abdomen, shoulder width, upper and lower width and depth of thorax, width and depth of abdomen, D. cristarum, D. trochanterica, pelvic depth, 12 circumferences, foot length and two skinfolds (on abdomen and back). The mean weight of a neonate was 3620.5 g±448.7 g (minimum 2400 g and maximum 4854 g). Boys were somewhat heavier than girls (3684.7 g and 3551.3 g respectively). The average height of the infants was 49.9 cm±1.9 cm (minimum 44 cm and maximum 54.5 cm). Correlation analysis of the characteristics showed that body structure is a system of wellcorrelated anthropometric measurements where the leading role belongs to height and weight. The changes in the relation between height and weight (height-weight classification in 3×3SD classes) cause systemic changes in other measurements. Therefore, in further micropaediatric and clinical research, the height-weight classification could be used as the primary model of the body as a whole.     

Prediction of body density in young and middle-aged women.

The purpose of this investigation was to predict body density of young and middle-aged women and to determine if the use of a greater variety of variables, particularly those for fat in the bust and hip regions, increases the predictability of body density. Body density determined by the hydrostatic technique (dependent variable) was obtained from 83 volunteer young women and 60 middle-aged women ranging from 18 to 22 and 33 to 50 yr of age, respectively. Independent variables included 8 skinfold, 13 girth, and 7 diameter measures; age; height; weight; and bra and cup sizes. Mean body density for young women was 1.043 g/ml (SD plus or minus 0.014) and percent fat, 24.8 (SD plus or minus 6.4); 1.031 g/ml (SD plus or minus 0.015) and 29.8% (SD plus or minus 6.7) for middle aged subjects. Percent fat was calculated by the formula of Siri. Factor analysis was used to examine the dimensions measured by the independent variables as a function of age. A multiple regression model was used to develop predictions of body density from the independent variables. The best combination of four variables for predicting body density was skinfold thigh, skinfold suprailiac, cup size, skinfold suprailiac, girth waist, and skinfold thigh (R = 0.89) for middle-aged women. The data showed that the highest predictons were found by using combinations of skinfold, girth, and diameter variables; cup size also supported the need for different regression equations for different age groups.     

On the relationship between body dimensions and appendix length

In the last decades a lot of significant correlations between clinical and anthropometric parameters were found, e.g. the relationships between somatotypical and endocrine parameters or between body dimensions and echocardiographic heart size. During operation, surgeons often find a wide range of appendix size of patients with varying body dimensions. A goal of this work is the detection of the relationships between anthropometric characteristics (height, weight, body mass index (= BMI)), inflammation parameters (histological inflammation degree, leukocyte count and C-reactive protein (= CRP)) and the appendix length with n=167 consecutive patients (time period 1.1.2004 - 31.12.2006; range of age 7-95 years, median age 20 years; average age of men 27.7, women 26.6 years), which had to be operated because of acute appendicitis. Appendectomy was laparoscopic in 95 % of the patients and open in 5 %. The appendix length of the male patients was high-significantly longer with a mean of 7.5 cm (SD = 2.1) than those of the female patients with 6.3 cm (SD = 1.6). The following mean anthropometric values were registered: height 169.8 (SD = 15.6) cm for the males and 165.2 (SD = 9.6) cm for the females, weight 70.4 (SD = 23.4) kg for the males and 61.9 (SD = 16.1) kg for the females, BMI 24.1 (SD = 5.4) kg/m2 for the males and 22.9 (SD = 4.8) kg/m2 for the females. The mean leukocyte count was 12,700 (SD = 5500)/ml for the males and 11,600 (SD = 4900)/ml for the females, CRP was 4.3 (SD = 5.4) mg/l for the males and 4.5 (SD = 8.9) mg/l for the females. Concerning the histopathological diagnosis, n=76 patients (45.5 %) suffered from a submucous fibrosis bliteration, n 1 (12.6 ) from an acute purulent inflammation degree, n = 65 (38.9 ) from an ulcerative hlegmonous inflammation degree and n (3 ) from a perforation. While no significant Spearman's correlation coefficient between appendix length and CRP was found, the appendix length correlated highly significantly to the body weight (r = 0.25) and significantly to leukocyte count (r = 0.16), body height (r = 0.16), BMI (r = 0.17) and the histological inflammation degree (r = 0.18). Thus, the correlations found were lower than the relationships between anthropometric and endocrine or echocardiographic parameters described in literature.     

Prediction Equations Do Not Eliminate Systematic Error in Self-Reported Body Mass Index

PLANKEY MICHAEL W, JUNE STEVENS, KATHERINE M FLEGAL, PHILIP F RUST. Prediction equations do not eliminate systematic error in self-reported body mass index. Epidemiological studies of the risks of obesity often use body mass index (BMI) calculated from self-reported height and weight. The purpose of this study was to examine the pattern of reporting error associated with self-reported values of BMI and to evaluate the extent to which linear regression models predict measured BMI from self-reported data and whether these models could compensate for this reporting error. We examined measured and self-reported weight and height on 5079 adults aged 30 years to 64 years from the second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Measured and self-reported BMI (kg/m2) was calculated, and multiple linear regression techniques were used to predict measured BMI from self-reported BMI. The error in self-reported BMI (self-reported BMI minus measured BMI) was not constant but varied systematically with BMI. The correlation between measured BMI and the error in self-reported BMI was ?0.37 for men and ?0.38 for women. The pattern of reporting error was only weakly associated with self-reported BMI, with the correlation being 0.05 for men and ?0.001 for women. Error in predicted BMI (predicted BMI minus measured BMI) also varied systematically with measured BMI, but less consistently with self-reported BMI. More complex models only slightly improved the ability to predict measured BMI compared with self-reported BMI alone. None of the equations were able to eliminate the systematic reporting error in determining measured BMI values from self-reported data. The characteristic pattern of error associated with self-reported BMI is difficult or impossible to correct by the use of linear regression models.     

A multivariate study of three body measurements of different states of India

Considerable attempts have been made to study the changes in three important body measurements (viz. body height, body weight and chest circumference) in young healthy males between different states of India using univariate statistical analysis in which body measurements are assumed to be independent of each other. Actually these body measurements are correlated with each other and thus the assumption of independence is violated in univariate statistical analysis. Hence the results obtained by univariate statistical analysis may be misleading. An attempt has, therefore, been made in the present study to apply multivariate statistical analysis in order to have an idea about the simultaneous changes in these three correlated measurements between different states of India in healthy Indian males of age ranging from 16-21 years. It has been concluded that significant changes take place in these three body measurements simultaneously of young healthy males of 16-21 years of age between different states of India.     

Obesity prevalence and nutritional habits among Indian women: a comparison between Punjabi women living in India and Punjabi migrants in Vienna, Austria

The current study aimed to determine the prevalence of obesity and overweight among Indian women living in Punjab, India and in Vienna, Austria. A series of 115 women ageing between 17 and 80 years (x = 38.7 yrs; +/- 14.5) was enrolled in the present study. 65 women lived in the district of Jalandhar in Punjab, 50 Punjabi women lived in as migrants in Vienna Austria. Data collection comprised an anthropometric analysis including stature height, body weight and the body mass index (BMI). For classification of the weight status the Indian BMI cutoffs defined by the WHO for Asian Indians were used. Data concerning dietary patterns and lifestyle parameters were collected by structured interviews using a standardized questionnaire. Among both subgroups overweight and obesity were highly prevalent. Underweight (18.5%) was significantly more prevalent in Punjab than in Vienna (6.0 %), while overweight and obesity were more frequently found among Punjabi women in Vienna (26.0%; 54.0%) than among Punjabi women in India (9.2%; 24.6 %). Analysing lifestyle and dietary patterns it turned out that energy dense meals were preferred and fat and sugar were used frequently among both subsamples. A statistically significant relationship between dietary habits and weight status could not be proved.     

Ideal body shape in young Japanese women and assessment of excessive leanness based on allometry

The present study is aimed to clarify the degree of leanness desired by contemporary young Japanese women using questionnaires and to use allometry to define the body weight boundary between the excessively lean and the others for a given height. Questionnaires on ideal body shape were distributed to female college students living in Akita and the suburbs of Tokyo. Data for 578 respondents, aged 18 to 21 years-old, were analyzed. The questionnaire asked the subjects to report their current and ideal body shape and to make a qualitative self-assessment of their weight. On average, the perceived ideal weight was 5.2 kg lower than the current weight. The results also revealed that young women have a tendency to misunderstand their body shape and to regard themselves as heavier than they really were. Meanwhile, we defined leanness as a state of insufficient lean body mass (LBM, kg) in relation to height (Ht, cm). Allometric equation of LBM on Ht and the standard error of estimate (SEE) were calculated as LBM=3.87 x 10(-3) x Ht(1.826) and 1.09, respectively. The LBM boundary between the excessively lean and the others was determined using these values according to a statistical procedure comparing normal and abnormal values. The corresponding total body weight was estimated from the boundary LBM in the literature. Subsequently the body weight boundary for each height was tabulated in order to make young women reconsider weight control. The subjects were asked to assess the body weight boundary for their own height. The boundary values were found to be consistent with the sense of the subjects.     

Comparison of occupational exposure methods relevant to musculoskeletal disorders: Worker-workstation interaction in an office environment

Work related musculoskeletal disorders have been associated with office work yet exposure quantification is challenging and not measured consistently. Our objective was to examine associations within and across exposure measurements guided by a conceptual model of three measurement locations: external to the body, at the interface, and internal to the body. Forty-one office workers (71% female), mean age 41 years (SD=9.6), mean height 168cm (SD=10.3), and mean weight 74kg (SD=19), were recruited from a large urban newspaper. Four methods of quantifying mechanical exposure were used linked to locations: equipment dimensions (external), relative fit and postures (interface), and EMG (internal). We explored: (1) a within-location analysis of relationships among methods; and (2) a cross-location analysis of relationships among methods. Exposure method comparisons showed mostly weak correlations among equipment variables, moderate correlations among posture variables, and strong or moderate correlations among EMG variables. For the majority of pair-wise comparisons between exposure measures across locations, the correlations were weak or moderate. Comparisons of relative fit revealed some differences in dimensions, postures, and EMG measures. Few strong associations between various exposure measures were found, although worker-reported relative fit holds promise. Future work might link exposure methods (specific measures) with locations for particular purposes.     

Cross sectional and longitudinal study of bone mineral content of the distal forearm in adult premenopausal women

The range of fat corrected distal forearm mineral content (FMC) (at a site which comprises approximately 75% cortical and 25% trabecular bone) and the effect of aging on FMC were determined in normal premenopausal women. In 106 women (mean age 39; range 18-56) the mean FMC was 1.184 (SD 148) g/cm; fat correction increased this to 1.239 (SD 148) g/cm. There were significant correlations between fat corrected FMC and height, weight and BMI (r greater than 0.16; P less than 0.05). In 43 of these women (mean age 35; range 18-51) repeat measurements of FMC were performed. The last measurement was separated from the first by a mean time interval of 27 +/- 3 months. There was no significant change in uncorrected FMC (baseline 1.185 +/- 0.21 g/cm compared with their final measurement 1.182 +/- .020 g/cm; P = 0.51). Fat-corrected FMC (baseline 1.229 +/- .021 g/cm compared with 1.223 +/- .020 g/cm later) tended to decrease although this change was not significant (P = 0.06). Age ranked cusum analysis demonstrated a non-significant fat-corrected rate of change in FMC of -.3% yr in those over 35 years of age (P less than 0.10). This data suggests that if there is any distal forearm bone loss before the menopause it is negligible.     

Validity of leg-to-leg bioelectrical impedance measurement in highly active women

The aim of this study was to compare the validity of the leg-to-leg bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) method with that of anthropometry using hydrostatic weighing (HW) as the criterion test. A secondary objective was to cross-validate previously developed anthropometric regression equations as well as to develop a new regression equation formula based on the anthropometric data collected in this study. Three methods for assessing body composition (HW, BIA, and anthropometric) were applied to 60 women university athletes. The means and standard deviations of age, weight, height, and body mass index (BMI) of athletes were as follows: age, 20.70 +/- 1.43; weight, 56.19 +/- 7.83 kg; height, 163.33 +/- 6.11 cm; BMI, 21.01 +/- 2.63 kg x m(-2). Leg-to-leg BIA (11.82 +/- 2.39) has shown no statistical difference between percentage body fat determined by HW (11.63 +/- 2.42%) in highly active women (p > 0.05). This result suggests that the leg-to-leg BIA and HW methods were somewhat interchangeable in highly active women (R = 0.667; standard error of estimate [SEE] = 1.81). As a result of all cross-validation analyses, anthropometric and BIA plus anthropometric results have generally produced lower regression coefficients and higher SEEs for highly active women between the ages of 18 and 25 years. The regression coefficients (0.903, 0.926) and SEE (1.08, 0.96) for the new regression formulas developed from this study were better than the all the other formulas used in this study.     

Oxygen transport properties of blood in two different bovine breeds

1. The whole oxygen dissociation curve of oxyhemoglobin has been determined in double-muscled cattle of the Belgian White Blue breed and in Friesian cattle of different body weight. 2. In calves, P50 values are low and DPG level is high (4-20 mumol/g Hb). 3. P50 values of 25 +/- 1.4 mm Hg (mean +/- SD) and a level of DPG less than 1.5 mumol/g Hb have been found in animals weighing more than 80 kg. 4. Effects of temperature and pH on the oxygen dissociation curve have been measured at all levels of saturation. The temperature coefficient (dlog P50/dT) and the Bohr effect expressed as dlog P50/dpH were 0.017 and -0.40, respectively. 5. Hematocrit, hemoglobin concentrations and oxygen capacity of hemoglobin have been measured. 6. No difference between both breeds has been observed. 7. These data can be used to correct measured values of oxygen tension for temperature and pH and to measure oxygen content of blood in cattle.     

Growth attainments of well-off chandigarh children: A mixed longitudinal study

Distance and velocity pattern of growth for body weight and height of 134 well-off Chandigarh boys aged 9–17 years, and 109 girls aged 9 to 16 years were studied following a mixedlongitudinal growth study design. For both body weight and height pattern-wise, Chandigarh boys showed close similarity with their American counterparts up to about 13 years of age, while girls did so till 12 years. Where after, Chandigarh children remained lighter and shorter than those of American origin and this differential may be explained on racial grounds rather than nutritional ones since all children included in this study remained free from dietary and other health related constraints. Marginally, higher height growth attainments noticed in Chandigarh children in contrast to their other Indian counterparts during initial years of adolescence shows that Chandigarh children are in process of expressing their genetic growth potential to its full which has not yet been fully achieved. The rate (velocity) of weight and height growth in Chandigarh children remained substatially lower than their sex-matched British counterparts throught the period of study. PHV in boys measured 6.4 cm/yr. and 5.4 cm/yr. in girls. It was attained at the age of 11.5 years in girls and 12.5 years in boys. Peak weight velocity in boys averaged 3.7 kg/yr., while it measured 4.6 kg/yr. in girls. In girls (11.5 yr.), PWV too was attained earlier than boys (13.5 yr.) by two years. The shorter height and lighter weight growth attainments noticed in Chandigarh children in contrast to their Western counterparts may be attributed to slower and lesser magnitude peak growth velocities recorded in Chandigarh children. The use of values presented has been recommended to monitor and assess growth attainments of Indian children residing in the Union Territory of Chandigarh.