SEX AND AGE DIFFERENCES OF THE SOMATOTYPE IN MACEDONIAN ADOLESCENT POPULATION

Abstract

Introduction: Changes in somatotype in child and adolescent period of growth and development will contribute for better understanding of variations in body shape and composition in adult period. The aim of this study was to evaluate the somatotype in Macedonian adolescent population. Material and methods: This study included 895 adolescent students (475 males and 420 females) at the age of 15 to 18 years. Ten anthropometric parameters: body height, weight, elbow and knee diameter, triceps, subscapular, supraspinale and calf skinfold, arm and calf circumferences were measured to assess the somatotype according to Heat–Carter somatotyping method. For evaluation of somatotype software package Somatotype-Calculation and Analysis V1.1.Monte Goulding, Sweat Technologies, Mitchell Park, South Australia was used. Testing of sex and age-specific differences was done with analysis of variance. Differences for p <0.05 were considered to be statistically significant. Results: The results obtained shows a significant sex difference (p<0.05) for mesomorph component in all age groups and for ectomorph component at the age of 17 years in favor of males, and for endomorph component at the age of 15, 16 and 17 years in favor of females. In all age groups the most of females were more endomorphic ( balanced endomorph and mesomorphic endomorph). In males most of the participants belonged to mesomorph-endomorh and endomorphic mesomorph somatotype. Conclusions: We found sex differences of somatotypes in Macedonian adolescents 15 to 18-years old. The obtained values can be use in physic investigations for better understanding of changes in body composition between both sexes.