Anthropologischer Anzeiger; Bericht uber die biologisch-anthropologische Literatur, Jan 20, 2018
In our modern world, the way of life in nutritional and activity behaviour has changed. As a cons... more In our modern world, the way of life in nutritional and activity behaviour has changed. As a consequence, parallel trends of an epidemic of overweight and a decline in external skeletal robusticity are observed in children and adolescents. We aim to develop reference centiles for external skeletal robusticity of European girls and boys aged 0 to 18 years using the Frame Index as an indicator and identify population specific age-related patterns. We analysed cross-sectional & longitudinal data on body height and elbow breadth of boys and girls from Europe (0-18 years, n = 41.679), India (7-18 years, n = 3.297) and South Africa (3-18 years, n = 4.346). As an indicator of external skeletal robusticity Frame Index after Frisancho (1990) was used. We developed centiles for boys and girls using the LMS-method and its extension. Boys have greater external skeletal robusticity than girls. Whereas in girls Frame Index decreases continuously during growth, an increase of Frame Index from 12 t...
Psychology and personality of individuals may have implications for choice of, and performance in... more Psychology and personality of individuals may have implications for choice of, and performance in sports disciplines. Individual- and group sports differ in psychological requirements, such as, competitiveness, sensation seeking and risk taking attitude, often required in sports. There is sex difference in human in these qualities, which also show association with prenatal testosterone exposures. Second-to-fourth digit lengths ratio (2D:4D) is an indicator of prenatal testosterone exposure. Lower 2D:4D indicates higher prenatal testosteron exposure and vice versa. Males generally have lower 2D:4D than females. This study cross-sectional study investigated the relationship of 2D:4D with team based- or individual sports. The participants were 421 Polish male students with a mean (+SD) age of 19.78 (+0.79) years. Among them, 139 were engaged in sports and 282 were not. Mean 2D:4D in each hand of individual sporting group was significantly lower than the team sports- and no sports group...
Males and females differ in their preference for occupations and sporting activities, and differ ... more Males and females differ in their preference for occupations and sporting activities, and differ also in risk-taking attitudes. In addition to other explanations, prenatal hormone exposure has been implicated in these gender-associated differences. The ratio of the relative lengths of the second-to-fourth digits (2D:4D) is a proxy indicator of prenatal exposure to testosterone relative to oestrogen. The 2D:4D ratio has been found to be associated with choice of occupation, particularly among females. This study investigated whether 2D:4D differed between police officers and a control group of civilians in Wrocław, Poland. Participants were 147 male and 55 female police officers and 91 male and 75 female civilian controls. The police officers had to undergo rigorous physical ability tests during recruitment and their job bore relatively higher risk, whereas the controls had a normal civilian lifestyle. Height, weight, hand grip strength and lengths of the second and fourth digits wer...
A B S T R A C T The aim of the study was to estimate the association between relative weight in c... more A B S T R A C T The aim of the study was to estimate the association between relative weight in childhood and adolescence and its relationship with adult health outcome. Longitudinal data of the body mass index (BMI) from the Wroc³aw Growth Study (WGS) covering ages 8 to 18 and then a follow-up at 50 were used. At the age of 50, 124 males and 139 females in the longitudinal study underwent medical examination. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP), total cholesterol (TCH), high density lipoprotein cholesterol level (HDL), low density lipoprotein cholesterol level (LDL), triglyceride level (TGL) and fasting glucose level (GLUC) were assessed by using standard techniques. The values of BMI were standard-ised with the LMS method. Multiple linear regression was used to assess the relationship between health parameters and BMI at ages 8–18, adjusted for BMI at the age of 50, separately for different age categories and parameters, except for blood pressure where the usage of anti-hypertension medication was additionally used as a control variable. In males total cholesterol concentration showed a significant negative correlation with standardised BMI at ages 9–12 and 16 and 17. In females, only blood pressure showed a significant negative relationship with standardised BMI in all age categories reaching the highest values at age 15. The BMI in childhood and adolescence have only a weak effect on health outcome at age 50.
A B S T R A C T This work presents results of studies on secondary school adolescents inhabiting ... more A B S T R A C T This work presents results of studies on secondary school adolescents inhabiting two regions of Warsaw: Sródmiescie district (Downtown) and Miedzylesie (Wawer district – Vicinity), conducted in 2006. These two districts significantly differ according to air pollution, which is much higher in Downtown than in Vicinity. The sample consists of 219 boys and 225 girls aged 13–16 years. The measurements included body height and weight and 8 respiratory variables of lung function: VC, FEV1, TV, MV, IRV, ERV, Ap, RR. Additionally information about education of parents, number of children in family, number of rooms in a house/apartment, smoking habits of pupils and their parents were provided. Sib-sib size, parents education level and number of rooms in apartment or house were included in a principal component analysis (PCA) to obtain a common factor representing general socioeconomic status (SES) for families. First factor scores were used as covariates in the further analysis. The influence of air pollution on respiratory variables was evaluated using the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The results show that there are significant relations of air pollution to Ap, MV and IRV and smoking habits of individuals on their MV and TV. In the heavier polluted region there are observed longer time of Ap and higher values of IRV. There is an opposite reaction of MV on air pollution and smoking. The MV values are lower in the heavier polluted area but presents greater values in smoking individuals. Also values of TV are greater if individuals smoke comparing with non smokers.
A B S T R A C T Body Mass Index (BMI) and skinfolds are common indicators of adiposity. Many stud... more A B S T R A C T Body Mass Index (BMI) and skinfolds are common indicators of adiposity. Many studies have shown relationships between the BMI in childhood and adolescence and the BMI in adulthood. Similar correlations were observed for the skinfolds, although they tend to be lower. The aim of this study was to estimate changes with age in the genetic variance and heritability of the BMI and skinfolds among Polish twins born between 1959 and 1965. Observations involved male and female monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins, who were measured annually between 8 and 18 years of age. Body Mass Index and skinfold thicknesses at the triceps (TSF), subscapular (SSF) and suprailiac (SIF) sites were measured. Genetic variance and heritability were estimated for individual skinfold thicknesses, the sum of three skinfolds (SUMSF) and BM, separately by age classes for both sexes. Intraclass correlations were significantly higher for MZ twins than for DZ twins in both sexes and across all ages. Heritability estimates were significant for all indicators of adi-posity, but varied with age and had different ranges for boys and girls. Estimates of genetic variance were significant for all indicators of adiposity and were higher for girls than for boys.
A B S T R A C T The goal of this study was to investigate the relation of birth order to relative... more A B S T R A C T The goal of this study was to investigate the relation of birth order to relative weight and prevalence of obesity in a group of 13–15 years old girls. In 1997, 1458 girls were examined. The height and weight measured by trained staff were recorded. Family size and birth order were obtained by a questionnaire. For the purpose of the present study, 776 and 250 girls coming from two-and three-child full families, respectively, were selected from the total sample on the basis of complete information. The Body Mass Index (kg/m 2) was adjusted to reference US population (NCHS) by means of the LMS parameters. Prevalence of overweight and obesity was defined according to recommendation of the International Obesity Task Force. The effect of birth order on BMI was tested by one-way analysis of variance. Prevalence of obesity was tested by the means of Pearson chi-square. First and second born girls from two-sibling families did not show significant differences in average standardized BMI. Relative weight significantly differs among girls coming from three sibling families, decreasing along with the birth order. The first-born girls were 1.5 times at higher risk of obesity in comparison to later-born girls. Differences in the proportion of overweight girls among birth order groups showed a high significance within three sibling families.
AbstrAct: South Africa underwent major social and economic change between 1987 and 1995. The rele... more AbstrAct: South Africa underwent major social and economic change between 1987 and 1995. The release of Nelson Mandela in February 1990 proclaimed an end to the political system of apartheid, and the first freely elected non-White government in 1994 instigated social and economic reforms aimed at alleviating the consequences of apartheid. This paper aims to examine the impact of these socioeconomic and political changes on height, weight and body mass index (BMI) in childhood and late adolescence. An analysis was carried out of longitudinal data of 258 urban and rural South African Cape Coloured schoolchildren (6–18 years old) across the transitional periods from apartheid between 1987 and 1990, to this transition between 1991 and 1993, and finally to post-apartheid between 1994 and 1995. The anthropometric measures were standardized into age independent Z-scores. Analyses of variance with repeated measures were conducted to examine the growth in height, weight and BMI across these periods. The results show a significant main effect of measurement periods on height, weight and BMI Z-scores. Across time, the subjects increased in overall size, height, weight and BMI. For all the anthropometric measures there was a significant interaction effect between measurement period and sex, but none between measurement period and SES. The average increase in height, weight and BMI across time differed significantly for girls and boys, the average z-scores being greater in girls than in boys. For boys, there was little difference in height, weight and BMI Z-scores according to SES, and little increase across periods. Girls were generally taller, heavier with greater BMI than boys, and their scores increased across the time periods. High SES girls were taller, heavier and had higher BMI than low SES girls. Across the measurement periods, BMI and weight somewhat converged between the high and low SES girls. In the discussion these differences reflecting social sex distinctions are addressed.
It is widely acknowledged that overweight and/or obesity is associated with elevated morbidity an... more It is widely acknowledged that overweight and/or obesity is associated with elevated morbidity and mortality. A variety of studies have shown that correlations between BMI during childhood and adulthood are generally low but increase during adolescence. However, the use of correlation coefficients has some disadvantages. The aim of this study was to estimate the risk of overweight and obesity at the age of 18 years from the occurrence of overweight and obesity at ages 8 to 17 years in boys and girls from the Wrocław Growth Study, using three different risk estimates: relative risk (RR), odds ratio (OR), and risk differences (RD). Subjects with BMI higher than the value of 85th centile for the BMI, as estimated from the III Anthropological Survey, were defined as overweight and obese. All three risk estimates gave similar results. Until the age of 14 for boys and 13 for girls, risk remained unchanged on relatively low level, and was a little higher for boys than for girls. This suggests that being overweight in pre-adolescence is not a predispo-sing factor for becoming overweight in adulthood. After adolescence, risk increased steeply both in boys and girls. The results show that adolescence is a critical period for development of obesity in adulthood.
AbstrAct: Falls may occur in each ontogenesis phase, but they become more frequent in the elderly... more AbstrAct: Falls may occur in each ontogenesis phase, but they become more frequent in the elderly and lead to serious health consequences. Dynamic changes in senior citizens' environment and lifestyle makes studies of risk for falls necessary. To determine the relationship between the risk for falls and the objective functional and structural examination in the elderly living in Poland. The research consisted of 196 females and 61 males aged 60–88 recruited from health clinics, senior citizen centers and Universities of the Third Age between 2009–2012. Following parameters were collected: functional physical tests " 30 second Chair Stand Test " and Timed Up and Go Test " , the flexor muscles and knee extensors force, the bone mineral density was measured in distal radius of the forearm with the EXA – 3000, the total risk for fall assessed by 5 tests by abbreviated version of Fallscreen test. Multiple linear regression and linear correlation were used for assessment of relationship with total estimated risk for fall and other parameters. The subjects displayed significant dimorphic differences within the range of the functional parameters and bone mineral density to the advantage of males. Only in women results revealed a significant link between the risk for falls and the dynamic balance, as well as the maximum quadricep muscle force equal. Strength of the lower limb muscles seems to be critical for decreasing the risk for fall. Special programs for strengthening this part of the body for older people should be elaborate.
AbstrAct: Many studies worldwide have shown that social factors are significantly associated with... more AbstrAct: Many studies worldwide have shown that social factors are significantly associated with growth in childhood. However, very few researchers studied influence of social factors on body length proportions. The aim of the present study was the assessment how urbanization level, sibship size and parental education may affect body length proportions in schoolchildren. 325 boys and 335 girls aged 7–18 years were measured in schools in Wrocław, two small towns and villages around these towns. Height, sitting height, leg length , and lower leg length were measured in all children, then relative lengths (in relation to height) were calculated: leg, femur, lower leg, estimated leg and lower leg length to leg length ratio. Height was standardized on age using LMS parameters for CDC 2002 year cohort. Other indices were standardized on age by using residuals variance derived from linear regressions. Four-way analysis of variance was used for height and each index, where independent variables were four social factors. Except for father's education in boys, no other social factor was significant associated with height. Urbanization level significantly differed almost all indices, whereas father's education level was significantly associated with relative leg length in girls and estimated leg length in both sexes. Our study has shown that the segments of lower limb seems to be more sensitive than height to the effect of social factors. In Lower Silesia, the level of urbanization is still related to differences in environmental conditions, enough to significantly affect growth of children, especially within the segments of lower limbs.
AbstrAct: This aims of this research are to determine if the 2D:4D digit ratio is related to subj... more AbstrAct: This aims of this research are to determine if the 2D:4D digit ratio is related to subjective pain experience during tattooing and to examine gender differences therein. The study involved 43 male and 28 female Polish adults recruited from two tattoo salons in Wroclaw and Leszno in Western Poland. These subjects were asked if they felt pain during their tattooing and answers were recorded as 'Yes' or 'No'. The ventral surface lengths of the second and fourth digits of each hand were measured, and analysis of variance was performed to assess significant differences in the 2D:4D ratios of right and left hands and two-hand averages between genders and the Yes/ No groups reporting pain experience. Results revealed that although the digit ratios for females had systematically higher values than those in males, differences were not statistically significant. Both sex and subjective pain feeling were significantly associated with 2D:4D ratio in both hands and their average values, while sex and pain experience were independently associated with digit ratio. Subjects who felt pain during tattooing had a significantly lower digit ratio. In conclusion, the study did not support the hypothesis that the lower masculine 2D:4D ratio is associated with a higher pain threshold. Prenatal sex hormonal exposure generating the gender dimorphic 2D:4D index may not predispose the actual feeling of all kinds of pain; in this instance, not in pain associated with tattooing.
AbstrAct: Marital distance (MD), the geographical distance between birthplaces of spouses, is con... more AbstrAct: Marital distance (MD), the geographical distance between birthplaces of spouses, is considered an agent favouring occurrence of heterosis and can be used as a measure of its level. Heterosis itself is a phenomenon of hybrid vigour and seems to be an important factor regulating human growth and development. The main aim of the study is to examine potential effects of MD on birth weight and length of offspring , controlling for socioeconomic status (SES), mother's age and birth order. Birth weight (2562 boys and 2572 girls) and length (2526 boys, 2542 girls) of children born in Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski (Poland) in 1980, 1983, 1985 and 1988 were recorded during cross-sectional surveys carried out between 1994-1999. Data regarding the socio-demographic variables of families were provided by the parents. Analysis of co-variance showed that MD significantly affected both birth weight and length, allowing for sex, birth order, mother's age and SES of family. For both sexes, a greater marital distance was associated with a higher birth weight and a longer birth length. Our results support the hypothesis that a greater geographical distance between the birth places of parents may contribute to the heterosis effects in offspring. Better birth outcomes may be one of the manifestations of these effects.
Populations in the Pacific islands undergoing economic modernization have experienced a steady ri... more Populations in the Pacific islands undergoing economic modernization have experienced a steady rise in the prevalence of hypertension across the second part of the twentieth century. In this analysis, a comparison is made between blood pressure of the Rarotonga, Cook Islands, population in 1996 with values obtained for this population in 1964. In addition, the extent to which education and occupation, as markers of modernization, associate with blood pressure and island of origin is examined, taking into account the use of anti-hypertensive drugs by a subset of the sample. For the males, mean blood pressure shows no difference between 1964 and 1996; for the females, the characteristic increase in blood pressure across the age groups is not statistically significant in the 1996 study population. This might be due to the much more extensive use of anti-hypertension medication in the 1996 sample. Island of origin is a significant predictor of blood pressure irrespective of occupation, use of anti-hypertension medication, age and body mass index. Females born on Rarotonga had higher systolic blood pressure, which was also associated with education level, than those born on other Cook Islands. Males born on Rarotonga had significantly higher diastolic blood pressure than males born elsewhere in the Cook Islands.
There is a long dispute among anthropologist over which factor is more important – skeletal matur... more There is a long dispute among anthropologist over which factor is more important – skeletal maturation or energy accumulation – for menarche occurrence. Here we report results of longitudinal study conducted on the sample of 178 girls followed for the period from 2 years before to 2 years after the age of menarche. Each year during this period anthropometric measures of waist and hip circumference, pelvis breadth, subscapular, triceps and abdominal skinfold thickness were taken to document girls' physical development. We found that changes in hip circumference and pelvis breadth were the most closely associated with menarche appearance. We also found that changes in anthropometric measures of lower body part preceded changes in anthropometric measures of upper body part and tended to peak one year before menarche occurrence while changes in upper body part tended to peak one year after menarche occurrence. These results suggest that both skeletal maturation and energy accumulation in the form of fat are equally important for menarche to occur. Furthermore, we are proposing a new indicator describing allometric changes of pelvis around menarche: hip circumference to pelvis breadth ratio (HCPBR).
AbstrAct: The purpose of the study was to compare the blood pressure of rural–to–urban migrants a... more AbstrAct: The purpose of the study was to compare the blood pressure of rural–to–urban migrants and the sedentary population (non–migratory) of the city of Wrocław, Poland. Additionally, the effect of time spent in the rural area on blood pressure was also assessed. The study sample consisted of 2753 males aged 25–75 years, following a medical examination, underwent an interview and anthropometric measurements between 1989–90. Based on the place of origin all males were divided into rural–to–urban migrant inhabitants of Wrocław (N=1222) and sedentary inhabitants of Wrocław (N=921). The percentage of time spent in the rural area [(time spent in rural area/age)*100] was then calculated and was used in analysis. In each age category, the rural–urban migrants were found to be shorter in height. Age, BMI, level of education and time of migration had a significant effect on both the systolic and diastolic blood pressure irrespective of the level of education. It was demonstrated that the time of migration, allowing for age, body size and education level, significantly correlated with blood pressure. The later in time, the males migrated from rural to urban areas, the higher their blood pressure. It was hypothesized that unhealthy behavior could still have continued in a new urban environment, resulting in migrant – sedentary differences in health parameters.
Background: The relationships between body size and fatness and blood pressure are generally ackn... more Background: The relationships between body size and fatness and blood pressure are generally acknowledged. The majority of the few studies that have examined the effect of fat distribution and maturation rate on blood pressure have used secondary sex characteristics as the measure of maturity. The aim of the present study is to examine the associations between blood pressure and relative weight, fat distribution, recalled menarcheal age and occurrence of menstruation (yes/no) in a sample comprising of 1149 14-year-old girls. Methods: Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), height, weight and body circumferences were measured using standard protocols. Fatness was expressed as body mass index (BMI, kg/m 2), whereas fat distribution was estimated by using waist-to-hip ratio. The girls' maturity status was assessed from exact recalled date of menarche. One-way analysis of covariance and multiple linear regression analyses were used to determine the strength of association among systolic blood pressure (SBP), DBP and BMI, menarcheal age and indices of fat distribution. Results and conclusion: Height and BMI are significantly associated with SBP. Relative weight is the most important factor related to SBP independently of chronological age and maturity status. Height and age at menarche are significantly associated with DBP. Height of 14-year-old girls shows the same strength of association with SBP and DBP, whereas maturity status negatively correlates with DBP. Fat distribution shows no effect on the level of DBP in girls.
The ratio of second-to-fourth digit length (2D:4D), which is generally higher in women compared w... more The ratio of second-to-fourth digit length (2D:4D), which is generally higher in women compared with men, is a putative marker of prenatal testosterone (PT) exposure. Lower 2D:4D is linked with greater physical ability and strength, better sporting performance and a propensity towards jobs demanding greater physical ability. The objectives of this paper were to examine the sexual dimorphism in 2D:4D in both hands 1and compare this dimorphism in the students of military and civil courses at the General Kuściuszko Military Academy of Land Forces in Wrocław. The cross-sectional study compared 59 female and 118 male students from the military courses and 53 females and 64 male students from the civil courses. Besides calculating 2D:4D (2D/4D) for each hand, height and weight were also recorded. Physical fitness and endurance were assessed using Eurofit tests. Handgrip strength was measured using a standardized isometric dynamometer. In almost all physical tests, students in the military cohort showed highly significant greater physical ability and strength (e.g. handgrip strength) when compared with the civil cohort. Male participants had a significantly lower 2D:4D than females for each hand, as well as for the average value for both hands. The sexual dimorphism was, however, a little more pronounced in the right hand than in the left. Both sex and course type were significant predictors of 2D:4D. There were significant interactions between sex and the student type. Among females, but not in males, the military cohort had a significantly lower, i.e. more 'masculine', 2D:4D for the left hand and right hand and average for both hands (t=3.290, p<0.001) than the civil cohort. This was not the case in males. However, the sex difference in 2D:4D was only significant among the civil students, and not among the military cadets. In conclusion, higher PT exposure, as represented by a lower 2D:4D, among the Polish females might be an indicator of relatively increased physical ability and motivation to choose professions that require higher strength and endurance.
Level of physical fitness is related to the functional status of most of the bodily functions and... more Level of physical fitness is related to the functional status of most of the bodily functions and so it appears to be very important to identify perinatal factors influencing physical fitness. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of birth weight on the level of physical fitness in children 6-7years of age. Physical fitness was assessed using EUROFIT tests in 28,623 children, aged 6-7years, from rural areas in Poland. Children below the 10th percentile for birth weight for gestational age were defined as small for gestational age (SGA). The influence of birth weight on parameters of fitness was assessed by means of covariance analysis. With the controls of age, sex and body size, children of low birth weight have shown significantly lower levels of body flexibility and running speed. The leg strength of children with SGA turned out to be significantly lower only in 7-year-old boys. This study has revealed the significant influence of birth weight on physical fitne...
Anthropologischer Anzeiger; Bericht uber die biologisch-anthropologische Literatur, 2017
Normal weight obesity is defined as having excessive body fat, but normal BMI. Even though previo... more Normal weight obesity is defined as having excessive body fat, but normal BMI. Even though previous research revealed that excessive body fat in children inhibited their physical activity and decreased motor performance, there has been only little evidence about motor performance of normal weight obese children. This study aims to establish whether normal weight obese pre-school children aged 3-6 years will have a significantly worse level of fundamental motor skills compared to normal weight non-obese counterparts. The research sample consisted of 152 pre-schoolers selected from a specific district of Prague, the Czech Republic. According to values from four skinfolds: triceps, subscapula, suprailiaca, calf, and BMI three categories of children aged 3-6 years were determined: A) normal weight obese n = 51; B) normal weight non-obese n = 52; C) overweight and obese n = 49. The Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC-2) was used for the assessment of fundamental motor skills. ...
Anthropologischer Anzeiger; Bericht uber die biologisch-anthropologische Literatur, Jan 20, 2018
In our modern world, the way of life in nutritional and activity behaviour has changed. As a cons... more In our modern world, the way of life in nutritional and activity behaviour has changed. As a consequence, parallel trends of an epidemic of overweight and a decline in external skeletal robusticity are observed in children and adolescents. We aim to develop reference centiles for external skeletal robusticity of European girls and boys aged 0 to 18 years using the Frame Index as an indicator and identify population specific age-related patterns. We analysed cross-sectional & longitudinal data on body height and elbow breadth of boys and girls from Europe (0-18 years, n = 41.679), India (7-18 years, n = 3.297) and South Africa (3-18 years, n = 4.346). As an indicator of external skeletal robusticity Frame Index after Frisancho (1990) was used. We developed centiles for boys and girls using the LMS-method and its extension. Boys have greater external skeletal robusticity than girls. Whereas in girls Frame Index decreases continuously during growth, an increase of Frame Index from 12 t...
Psychology and personality of individuals may have implications for choice of, and performance in... more Psychology and personality of individuals may have implications for choice of, and performance in sports disciplines. Individual- and group sports differ in psychological requirements, such as, competitiveness, sensation seeking and risk taking attitude, often required in sports. There is sex difference in human in these qualities, which also show association with prenatal testosterone exposures. Second-to-fourth digit lengths ratio (2D:4D) is an indicator of prenatal testosterone exposure. Lower 2D:4D indicates higher prenatal testosteron exposure and vice versa. Males generally have lower 2D:4D than females. This study cross-sectional study investigated the relationship of 2D:4D with team based- or individual sports. The participants were 421 Polish male students with a mean (+SD) age of 19.78 (+0.79) years. Among them, 139 were engaged in sports and 282 were not. Mean 2D:4D in each hand of individual sporting group was significantly lower than the team sports- and no sports group...
Males and females differ in their preference for occupations and sporting activities, and differ ... more Males and females differ in their preference for occupations and sporting activities, and differ also in risk-taking attitudes. In addition to other explanations, prenatal hormone exposure has been implicated in these gender-associated differences. The ratio of the relative lengths of the second-to-fourth digits (2D:4D) is a proxy indicator of prenatal exposure to testosterone relative to oestrogen. The 2D:4D ratio has been found to be associated with choice of occupation, particularly among females. This study investigated whether 2D:4D differed between police officers and a control group of civilians in Wrocław, Poland. Participants were 147 male and 55 female police officers and 91 male and 75 female civilian controls. The police officers had to undergo rigorous physical ability tests during recruitment and their job bore relatively higher risk, whereas the controls had a normal civilian lifestyle. Height, weight, hand grip strength and lengths of the second and fourth digits wer...
A B S T R A C T The aim of the study was to estimate the association between relative weight in c... more A B S T R A C T The aim of the study was to estimate the association between relative weight in childhood and adolescence and its relationship with adult health outcome. Longitudinal data of the body mass index (BMI) from the Wroc³aw Growth Study (WGS) covering ages 8 to 18 and then a follow-up at 50 were used. At the age of 50, 124 males and 139 females in the longitudinal study underwent medical examination. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP), total cholesterol (TCH), high density lipoprotein cholesterol level (HDL), low density lipoprotein cholesterol level (LDL), triglyceride level (TGL) and fasting glucose level (GLUC) were assessed by using standard techniques. The values of BMI were standard-ised with the LMS method. Multiple linear regression was used to assess the relationship between health parameters and BMI at ages 8–18, adjusted for BMI at the age of 50, separately for different age categories and parameters, except for blood pressure where the usage of anti-hypertension medication was additionally used as a control variable. In males total cholesterol concentration showed a significant negative correlation with standardised BMI at ages 9–12 and 16 and 17. In females, only blood pressure showed a significant negative relationship with standardised BMI in all age categories reaching the highest values at age 15. The BMI in childhood and adolescence have only a weak effect on health outcome at age 50.
A B S T R A C T This work presents results of studies on secondary school adolescents inhabiting ... more A B S T R A C T This work presents results of studies on secondary school adolescents inhabiting two regions of Warsaw: Sródmiescie district (Downtown) and Miedzylesie (Wawer district – Vicinity), conducted in 2006. These two districts significantly differ according to air pollution, which is much higher in Downtown than in Vicinity. The sample consists of 219 boys and 225 girls aged 13–16 years. The measurements included body height and weight and 8 respiratory variables of lung function: VC, FEV1, TV, MV, IRV, ERV, Ap, RR. Additionally information about education of parents, number of children in family, number of rooms in a house/apartment, smoking habits of pupils and their parents were provided. Sib-sib size, parents education level and number of rooms in apartment or house were included in a principal component analysis (PCA) to obtain a common factor representing general socioeconomic status (SES) for families. First factor scores were used as covariates in the further analysis. The influence of air pollution on respiratory variables was evaluated using the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The results show that there are significant relations of air pollution to Ap, MV and IRV and smoking habits of individuals on their MV and TV. In the heavier polluted region there are observed longer time of Ap and higher values of IRV. There is an opposite reaction of MV on air pollution and smoking. The MV values are lower in the heavier polluted area but presents greater values in smoking individuals. Also values of TV are greater if individuals smoke comparing with non smokers.
A B S T R A C T Body Mass Index (BMI) and skinfolds are common indicators of adiposity. Many stud... more A B S T R A C T Body Mass Index (BMI) and skinfolds are common indicators of adiposity. Many studies have shown relationships between the BMI in childhood and adolescence and the BMI in adulthood. Similar correlations were observed for the skinfolds, although they tend to be lower. The aim of this study was to estimate changes with age in the genetic variance and heritability of the BMI and skinfolds among Polish twins born between 1959 and 1965. Observations involved male and female monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins, who were measured annually between 8 and 18 years of age. Body Mass Index and skinfold thicknesses at the triceps (TSF), subscapular (SSF) and suprailiac (SIF) sites were measured. Genetic variance and heritability were estimated for individual skinfold thicknesses, the sum of three skinfolds (SUMSF) and BM, separately by age classes for both sexes. Intraclass correlations were significantly higher for MZ twins than for DZ twins in both sexes and across all ages. Heritability estimates were significant for all indicators of adi-posity, but varied with age and had different ranges for boys and girls. Estimates of genetic variance were significant for all indicators of adiposity and were higher for girls than for boys.
A B S T R A C T The goal of this study was to investigate the relation of birth order to relative... more A B S T R A C T The goal of this study was to investigate the relation of birth order to relative weight and prevalence of obesity in a group of 13–15 years old girls. In 1997, 1458 girls were examined. The height and weight measured by trained staff were recorded. Family size and birth order were obtained by a questionnaire. For the purpose of the present study, 776 and 250 girls coming from two-and three-child full families, respectively, were selected from the total sample on the basis of complete information. The Body Mass Index (kg/m 2) was adjusted to reference US population (NCHS) by means of the LMS parameters. Prevalence of overweight and obesity was defined according to recommendation of the International Obesity Task Force. The effect of birth order on BMI was tested by one-way analysis of variance. Prevalence of obesity was tested by the means of Pearson chi-square. First and second born girls from two-sibling families did not show significant differences in average standardized BMI. Relative weight significantly differs among girls coming from three sibling families, decreasing along with the birth order. The first-born girls were 1.5 times at higher risk of obesity in comparison to later-born girls. Differences in the proportion of overweight girls among birth order groups showed a high significance within three sibling families.
AbstrAct: South Africa underwent major social and economic change between 1987 and 1995. The rele... more AbstrAct: South Africa underwent major social and economic change between 1987 and 1995. The release of Nelson Mandela in February 1990 proclaimed an end to the political system of apartheid, and the first freely elected non-White government in 1994 instigated social and economic reforms aimed at alleviating the consequences of apartheid. This paper aims to examine the impact of these socioeconomic and political changes on height, weight and body mass index (BMI) in childhood and late adolescence. An analysis was carried out of longitudinal data of 258 urban and rural South African Cape Coloured schoolchildren (6–18 years old) across the transitional periods from apartheid between 1987 and 1990, to this transition between 1991 and 1993, and finally to post-apartheid between 1994 and 1995. The anthropometric measures were standardized into age independent Z-scores. Analyses of variance with repeated measures were conducted to examine the growth in height, weight and BMI across these periods. The results show a significant main effect of measurement periods on height, weight and BMI Z-scores. Across time, the subjects increased in overall size, height, weight and BMI. For all the anthropometric measures there was a significant interaction effect between measurement period and sex, but none between measurement period and SES. The average increase in height, weight and BMI across time differed significantly for girls and boys, the average z-scores being greater in girls than in boys. For boys, there was little difference in height, weight and BMI Z-scores according to SES, and little increase across periods. Girls were generally taller, heavier with greater BMI than boys, and their scores increased across the time periods. High SES girls were taller, heavier and had higher BMI than low SES girls. Across the measurement periods, BMI and weight somewhat converged between the high and low SES girls. In the discussion these differences reflecting social sex distinctions are addressed.
It is widely acknowledged that overweight and/or obesity is associated with elevated morbidity an... more It is widely acknowledged that overweight and/or obesity is associated with elevated morbidity and mortality. A variety of studies have shown that correlations between BMI during childhood and adulthood are generally low but increase during adolescence. However, the use of correlation coefficients has some disadvantages. The aim of this study was to estimate the risk of overweight and obesity at the age of 18 years from the occurrence of overweight and obesity at ages 8 to 17 years in boys and girls from the Wrocław Growth Study, using three different risk estimates: relative risk (RR), odds ratio (OR), and risk differences (RD). Subjects with BMI higher than the value of 85th centile for the BMI, as estimated from the III Anthropological Survey, were defined as overweight and obese. All three risk estimates gave similar results. Until the age of 14 for boys and 13 for girls, risk remained unchanged on relatively low level, and was a little higher for boys than for girls. This suggests that being overweight in pre-adolescence is not a predispo-sing factor for becoming overweight in adulthood. After adolescence, risk increased steeply both in boys and girls. The results show that adolescence is a critical period for development of obesity in adulthood.
AbstrAct: Falls may occur in each ontogenesis phase, but they become more frequent in the elderly... more AbstrAct: Falls may occur in each ontogenesis phase, but they become more frequent in the elderly and lead to serious health consequences. Dynamic changes in senior citizens' environment and lifestyle makes studies of risk for falls necessary. To determine the relationship between the risk for falls and the objective functional and structural examination in the elderly living in Poland. The research consisted of 196 females and 61 males aged 60–88 recruited from health clinics, senior citizen centers and Universities of the Third Age between 2009–2012. Following parameters were collected: functional physical tests " 30 second Chair Stand Test " and Timed Up and Go Test " , the flexor muscles and knee extensors force, the bone mineral density was measured in distal radius of the forearm with the EXA – 3000, the total risk for fall assessed by 5 tests by abbreviated version of Fallscreen test. Multiple linear regression and linear correlation were used for assessment of relationship with total estimated risk for fall and other parameters. The subjects displayed significant dimorphic differences within the range of the functional parameters and bone mineral density to the advantage of males. Only in women results revealed a significant link between the risk for falls and the dynamic balance, as well as the maximum quadricep muscle force equal. Strength of the lower limb muscles seems to be critical for decreasing the risk for fall. Special programs for strengthening this part of the body for older people should be elaborate.
AbstrAct: Many studies worldwide have shown that social factors are significantly associated with... more AbstrAct: Many studies worldwide have shown that social factors are significantly associated with growth in childhood. However, very few researchers studied influence of social factors on body length proportions. The aim of the present study was the assessment how urbanization level, sibship size and parental education may affect body length proportions in schoolchildren. 325 boys and 335 girls aged 7–18 years were measured in schools in Wrocław, two small towns and villages around these towns. Height, sitting height, leg length , and lower leg length were measured in all children, then relative lengths (in relation to height) were calculated: leg, femur, lower leg, estimated leg and lower leg length to leg length ratio. Height was standardized on age using LMS parameters for CDC 2002 year cohort. Other indices were standardized on age by using residuals variance derived from linear regressions. Four-way analysis of variance was used for height and each index, where independent variables were four social factors. Except for father's education in boys, no other social factor was significant associated with height. Urbanization level significantly differed almost all indices, whereas father's education level was significantly associated with relative leg length in girls and estimated leg length in both sexes. Our study has shown that the segments of lower limb seems to be more sensitive than height to the effect of social factors. In Lower Silesia, the level of urbanization is still related to differences in environmental conditions, enough to significantly affect growth of children, especially within the segments of lower limbs.
AbstrAct: This aims of this research are to determine if the 2D:4D digit ratio is related to subj... more AbstrAct: This aims of this research are to determine if the 2D:4D digit ratio is related to subjective pain experience during tattooing and to examine gender differences therein. The study involved 43 male and 28 female Polish adults recruited from two tattoo salons in Wroclaw and Leszno in Western Poland. These subjects were asked if they felt pain during their tattooing and answers were recorded as 'Yes' or 'No'. The ventral surface lengths of the second and fourth digits of each hand were measured, and analysis of variance was performed to assess significant differences in the 2D:4D ratios of right and left hands and two-hand averages between genders and the Yes/ No groups reporting pain experience. Results revealed that although the digit ratios for females had systematically higher values than those in males, differences were not statistically significant. Both sex and subjective pain feeling were significantly associated with 2D:4D ratio in both hands and their average values, while sex and pain experience were independently associated with digit ratio. Subjects who felt pain during tattooing had a significantly lower digit ratio. In conclusion, the study did not support the hypothesis that the lower masculine 2D:4D ratio is associated with a higher pain threshold. Prenatal sex hormonal exposure generating the gender dimorphic 2D:4D index may not predispose the actual feeling of all kinds of pain; in this instance, not in pain associated with tattooing.
AbstrAct: Marital distance (MD), the geographical distance between birthplaces of spouses, is con... more AbstrAct: Marital distance (MD), the geographical distance between birthplaces of spouses, is considered an agent favouring occurrence of heterosis and can be used as a measure of its level. Heterosis itself is a phenomenon of hybrid vigour and seems to be an important factor regulating human growth and development. The main aim of the study is to examine potential effects of MD on birth weight and length of offspring , controlling for socioeconomic status (SES), mother's age and birth order. Birth weight (2562 boys and 2572 girls) and length (2526 boys, 2542 girls) of children born in Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski (Poland) in 1980, 1983, 1985 and 1988 were recorded during cross-sectional surveys carried out between 1994-1999. Data regarding the socio-demographic variables of families were provided by the parents. Analysis of co-variance showed that MD significantly affected both birth weight and length, allowing for sex, birth order, mother's age and SES of family. For both sexes, a greater marital distance was associated with a higher birth weight and a longer birth length. Our results support the hypothesis that a greater geographical distance between the birth places of parents may contribute to the heterosis effects in offspring. Better birth outcomes may be one of the manifestations of these effects.
Populations in the Pacific islands undergoing economic modernization have experienced a steady ri... more Populations in the Pacific islands undergoing economic modernization have experienced a steady rise in the prevalence of hypertension across the second part of the twentieth century. In this analysis, a comparison is made between blood pressure of the Rarotonga, Cook Islands, population in 1996 with values obtained for this population in 1964. In addition, the extent to which education and occupation, as markers of modernization, associate with blood pressure and island of origin is examined, taking into account the use of anti-hypertensive drugs by a subset of the sample. For the males, mean blood pressure shows no difference between 1964 and 1996; for the females, the characteristic increase in blood pressure across the age groups is not statistically significant in the 1996 study population. This might be due to the much more extensive use of anti-hypertension medication in the 1996 sample. Island of origin is a significant predictor of blood pressure irrespective of occupation, use of anti-hypertension medication, age and body mass index. Females born on Rarotonga had higher systolic blood pressure, which was also associated with education level, than those born on other Cook Islands. Males born on Rarotonga had significantly higher diastolic blood pressure than males born elsewhere in the Cook Islands.
There is a long dispute among anthropologist over which factor is more important – skeletal matur... more There is a long dispute among anthropologist over which factor is more important – skeletal maturation or energy accumulation – for menarche occurrence. Here we report results of longitudinal study conducted on the sample of 178 girls followed for the period from 2 years before to 2 years after the age of menarche. Each year during this period anthropometric measures of waist and hip circumference, pelvis breadth, subscapular, triceps and abdominal skinfold thickness were taken to document girls' physical development. We found that changes in hip circumference and pelvis breadth were the most closely associated with menarche appearance. We also found that changes in anthropometric measures of lower body part preceded changes in anthropometric measures of upper body part and tended to peak one year before menarche occurrence while changes in upper body part tended to peak one year after menarche occurrence. These results suggest that both skeletal maturation and energy accumulation in the form of fat are equally important for menarche to occur. Furthermore, we are proposing a new indicator describing allometric changes of pelvis around menarche: hip circumference to pelvis breadth ratio (HCPBR).
AbstrAct: The purpose of the study was to compare the blood pressure of rural–to–urban migrants a... more AbstrAct: The purpose of the study was to compare the blood pressure of rural–to–urban migrants and the sedentary population (non–migratory) of the city of Wrocław, Poland. Additionally, the effect of time spent in the rural area on blood pressure was also assessed. The study sample consisted of 2753 males aged 25–75 years, following a medical examination, underwent an interview and anthropometric measurements between 1989–90. Based on the place of origin all males were divided into rural–to–urban migrant inhabitants of Wrocław (N=1222) and sedentary inhabitants of Wrocław (N=921). The percentage of time spent in the rural area [(time spent in rural area/age)*100] was then calculated and was used in analysis. In each age category, the rural–urban migrants were found to be shorter in height. Age, BMI, level of education and time of migration had a significant effect on both the systolic and diastolic blood pressure irrespective of the level of education. It was demonstrated that the time of migration, allowing for age, body size and education level, significantly correlated with blood pressure. The later in time, the males migrated from rural to urban areas, the higher their blood pressure. It was hypothesized that unhealthy behavior could still have continued in a new urban environment, resulting in migrant – sedentary differences in health parameters.
Background: The relationships between body size and fatness and blood pressure are generally ackn... more Background: The relationships between body size and fatness and blood pressure are generally acknowledged. The majority of the few studies that have examined the effect of fat distribution and maturation rate on blood pressure have used secondary sex characteristics as the measure of maturity. The aim of the present study is to examine the associations between blood pressure and relative weight, fat distribution, recalled menarcheal age and occurrence of menstruation (yes/no) in a sample comprising of 1149 14-year-old girls. Methods: Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), height, weight and body circumferences were measured using standard protocols. Fatness was expressed as body mass index (BMI, kg/m 2), whereas fat distribution was estimated by using waist-to-hip ratio. The girls' maturity status was assessed from exact recalled date of menarche. One-way analysis of covariance and multiple linear regression analyses were used to determine the strength of association among systolic blood pressure (SBP), DBP and BMI, menarcheal age and indices of fat distribution. Results and conclusion: Height and BMI are significantly associated with SBP. Relative weight is the most important factor related to SBP independently of chronological age and maturity status. Height and age at menarche are significantly associated with DBP. Height of 14-year-old girls shows the same strength of association with SBP and DBP, whereas maturity status negatively correlates with DBP. Fat distribution shows no effect on the level of DBP in girls.
The ratio of second-to-fourth digit length (2D:4D), which is generally higher in women compared w... more The ratio of second-to-fourth digit length (2D:4D), which is generally higher in women compared with men, is a putative marker of prenatal testosterone (PT) exposure. Lower 2D:4D is linked with greater physical ability and strength, better sporting performance and a propensity towards jobs demanding greater physical ability. The objectives of this paper were to examine the sexual dimorphism in 2D:4D in both hands 1and compare this dimorphism in the students of military and civil courses at the General Kuściuszko Military Academy of Land Forces in Wrocław. The cross-sectional study compared 59 female and 118 male students from the military courses and 53 females and 64 male students from the civil courses. Besides calculating 2D:4D (2D/4D) for each hand, height and weight were also recorded. Physical fitness and endurance were assessed using Eurofit tests. Handgrip strength was measured using a standardized isometric dynamometer. In almost all physical tests, students in the military cohort showed highly significant greater physical ability and strength (e.g. handgrip strength) when compared with the civil cohort. Male participants had a significantly lower 2D:4D than females for each hand, as well as for the average value for both hands. The sexual dimorphism was, however, a little more pronounced in the right hand than in the left. Both sex and course type were significant predictors of 2D:4D. There were significant interactions between sex and the student type. Among females, but not in males, the military cohort had a significantly lower, i.e. more 'masculine', 2D:4D for the left hand and right hand and average for both hands (t=3.290, p<0.001) than the civil cohort. This was not the case in males. However, the sex difference in 2D:4D was only significant among the civil students, and not among the military cadets. In conclusion, higher PT exposure, as represented by a lower 2D:4D, among the Polish females might be an indicator of relatively increased physical ability and motivation to choose professions that require higher strength and endurance.
Level of physical fitness is related to the functional status of most of the bodily functions and... more Level of physical fitness is related to the functional status of most of the bodily functions and so it appears to be very important to identify perinatal factors influencing physical fitness. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of birth weight on the level of physical fitness in children 6-7years of age. Physical fitness was assessed using EUROFIT tests in 28,623 children, aged 6-7years, from rural areas in Poland. Children below the 10th percentile for birth weight for gestational age were defined as small for gestational age (SGA). The influence of birth weight on parameters of fitness was assessed by means of covariance analysis. With the controls of age, sex and body size, children of low birth weight have shown significantly lower levels of body flexibility and running speed. The leg strength of children with SGA turned out to be significantly lower only in 7-year-old boys. This study has revealed the significant influence of birth weight on physical fitne...
Anthropologischer Anzeiger; Bericht uber die biologisch-anthropologische Literatur, 2017
Normal weight obesity is defined as having excessive body fat, but normal BMI. Even though previo... more Normal weight obesity is defined as having excessive body fat, but normal BMI. Even though previous research revealed that excessive body fat in children inhibited their physical activity and decreased motor performance, there has been only little evidence about motor performance of normal weight obese children. This study aims to establish whether normal weight obese pre-school children aged 3-6 years will have a significantly worse level of fundamental motor skills compared to normal weight non-obese counterparts. The research sample consisted of 152 pre-schoolers selected from a specific district of Prague, the Czech Republic. According to values from four skinfolds: triceps, subscapula, suprailiaca, calf, and BMI three categories of children aged 3-6 years were determined: A) normal weight obese n = 51; B) normal weight non-obese n = 52; C) overweight and obese n = 49. The Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC-2) was used for the assessment of fundamental motor skills. ...
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Papers by Slawomir M Koziel