Secular trends in height, weight, and body mass index in the context of economic and political transformations in Russia from 1885 to 2021

OBJECTIVES

To study and analyze the impact of socio-economic factors on secular changes in height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) among Moscow's youth over the time interval from the late 19th-early 20th century to the present.

METHODS

Anthropometric data, including height, weight, and BMI, were collected through surveys conducted on youths aged 17-20 years in Moscow from the 1880s for males and from the 1920s for females to the present. The dataset includes information on 6434 individuals surveyed from 2000 to 2019, as well as previously published mean values. Economic development indicators, such as gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, monthly average income per capita, and the Gini coefficient, were examined to analyze the association between secular trends in body size and socio-economic conditions.

RESULTS

A positive secular trend in height and weight has been observed among Moscow's youth from the early 20th century to the present. Substantial increases in height occurred during the second half of the previous century, stabilizing in the 2000s. Over the analyzed period, both average body weight and BMI values showed a consistent rise. The pattern for BMI exhibited a U-shaped trend, with a decline from the 1970s to the mid-1990s, followed by a subsequent increase. Strong correlations were found between the secular changes in body size among Moscow's youth and temporal fluctuations in key socio-economic indicators, including GDP per capita, monthly average income per capita, and the Gini coefficient.

CONCLUSION

The study demonstrates the significant influence of socio-economic conditions on intergenerational changes in body size, as evidenced by the positive secular trend in physique indicators (height, weight, and BMI) among Moscow's youth.

[The regional aspects of social economic factors effect on morphophysiological status and somatic health of young women]

The analysis of various social, economic, and demographic factors demonstrates different degrees and directions of their impact on human body systems and human health in general. The examination of residents of several cities of Russia and neighboring countries provides an opportunity to assess strength and direction of relationship between socioeconomic factors and morphofunctional health. The comprehensive morphofunctional examination was applied to 722 young females aged 18.8±0.05 years from six cities: Moscow, Samara, Saransk, Arkhangelsk (the Russian Federation), Tiraspol (the Transdniestria Moldavian Republic), and Baku (the Republic of Azerbaijan). The economic, demographic, social and ecological indicators of the city and relevant region were considered as factors of urban environment. The Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (RS). was used as measure of relation between attributes. The variability of morphophysiological characteristics is hardly related to the population density (RS -0.18-0.15). At the same time the greatest contribution was demonstrated by complex of economic factors and environmental pollution (RS up to -0.29 for both). The relationships between functional indicators of cardiovascular system and economic status of the region, associated demographic factors, and indicators of air pollution were established in the surveyed cities. In overall, the results suggest that cardiovascular system is the most susceptible area to influence of city-level social economic factors and demonstrates deterioration of functional indicators under economic decline at the regional level. In other morphophysiological systems, adaptive changes were established only as tendencies. The deterioration conditions of human body systems under impact of urban environment factors is evident in some cities. The observed deterioration potentially can adversely affect health during growth and will further be aggravated by ongoing negative environmental influences. In this regard, it is necessary to enhance knowledge about impact of external influences on human health and body systems to develop directed preventive measures improving quality of life.

[The secular variability of physical development of the youth as risk factor of cardiovascular diseases]

The article discusses results of complex cross-sectional and anthropometric medical check up in the M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University in 2002-2003 and 2013. The sampling covered 494 students aged 18-23 years. The check up included basic anthropometric measurements and cardiovascular parameters. The pulse pressure and Bayevsky adaptation potential were calculated. Results. The secular trend in body mass increasing was established. So, decade variations was +3.3 kg in young men (p=0.021) and +1.8 kg in girls (p=0.098). The cardiovascular system parameters degraded over ten years: occurrence of bradycardia and tachycardia increased significantly for both genders. In most observed participants in 2002-2003 the sufficient adaptation according Bayevsky was established (75.1% in young men and 71.6% in girls). Over ten years, this proportion decreased to 44.1% in young men (p=0.0000) and to 51.7% in girls (p=0.034). The percentage of adaptation failure cases increased. Conclusions. The analysis of decade dynamics demonstrated deterioration of physical development and somatic health parameters of modern youth. The established trends should be considered in planning health improving programs targeted to early prevention of cardiovascular diseases and development of adaptive capabilities of modern youth.

Association between the digit ratio (2D:4D) and body fat distribution in Mordovian students

BACKGROUND

The length ratio of the second to the fourth finger (2D:4D) is a possible biomarker of prenatal sex hormone levels, which play a significant role in determining sex-related body traits.

AIMS

To evaluate the value of the 2D:4D ratio in a Mordovian sample and to test the associations between the 2D:4D ratio and sexually dimorphic morphological traits, such as height and body weight, body mass index, waist and hip circumference, the waist-to-hip ratio, handgrip strength and the skinfold thickness.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

The sample studied included 106 individuals of Mordovian ethnicity: 58 males and 48 females, 16-23 years old. The associations between the 2D:4D ratio and morphological traits were evaluated by multivariate regression analysis and correlation analysis.

RESULTS

The 2D:4D ratio in males was significantly lower than in females. Most of the associations of the 2D:4D ratio with morphological traits were statistically insignificant. The 2D:4D ratio is only significantly correlated with skinfold thickness of the forearm and the abdomen in females.

CONCLUSION

The association between the 2D:4D ratio and skinfold thickness is indicative of the role of prenatal sex hormones in shaping the body fat distribution in females, along with the significant impact of sex hormones at puberty.

[[Sex differences in the association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D and serum blood lipids in health youth]

Correlations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, or 25(OH)D, serum concentration with the blood levels of total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), and apolipoprotein E were analyzed in young non-overweight men (n = 40) and females (n = 61) aged 14–23 having no excess body mass. The measured variables have been standardized within each of four locality groups. The spearman rank correlation coefficients of 25(OH)D were Rsp = 0.306 (p = 0.017) with TC in females, and Rsp =–0.372 (p = 0.018).

[Comparative assessment of aging rates in population from different cities]

437 people (214 men and 223 women) at the age of 50-90 years old, residents of different cities of Russia and Pridnestrovie (Moscow, Barnaul, Tiraspol) have been examined. Using a complex of morphofunctional characteristics, parameters of the biological age have been analyzed, and groups with delayed, moderate and accelerated aging rates have been outlined. Regional peculiarities in distribution of incidence of different variants of aging rates have been revealed. In Moscow men and women, the delayed variant of development of age involution changes is the most widespread. In Tiraspol women, compared to the Moscow group, incidence of people with accelerated aging rates is 2 times higher, which can be stipulated by influence of a complex of biosocial factors.

[Biometric method for the description of the head of an unrecognized corpse for the purpose of personality individualization and identification]

We have determined absolute dimensions of the head and the relationship between the dimensions of its selected parts. The study enrolled adult subjects (mostly of Russian ethnicity) at the age from 17 to 22 years (1108 men and 1153 women). We calculated the normal values for the estimation of real dimensional characteristics and the frequency of their occurrence in the population. The proposed approach makes it possible to reliably identify the dimensional features of human appearance in terms of the quantitative verbal description (categories 1-5) and to reveal its most characteristic features. The results of this biometric study of the heads of unrecognized corpses obtained by the specially developed technology may be used in operational and search investigations, in the procedure of corpse identification, and forensic medical personality identification of a missing subject.

[Biometric ranging of the corpses destroyed at the site of a catastrophe in terms of gender, longitudinal and circumferencial dimensions, and the degree of subcutaneous fat distribution]

The quantitative criteria for biometric ranging of destroyed corpses in terms of anatomical localization, gender, longitudinal length, trunk circumference, and the folds of subcutaneous fat are proposed. The wealth of anthropometric materials obtained in the studies of various Caucasoid populations was used to calculate the normative tables for biometric ranging of the decomposed corpses. The proposed technology excludes the subjective assessments for the purpose of such classification at the sites of catastrophes. Moreover, it promotes the accumulation of the variety of valuable information, such as the size of the collar, headwear, and footwear, clothing size and height, and portrait features, that can be used for victim identification.

[Medical forensic investigations of body fragments in the situations of the massive arrivals of corpses]

We propose for the first time a set of methods for the determination of sex, face shape, body length and weight for the purpose of forensic medical investigations of fragmented corpses from a mass fatality catastrophe site. The study has demonstrated a high degree of reliability of the assessment of the personality group signs based on a wealth of somatometric data with the use of the multivariate statistic methods. This work has no analogy in forensic medical studies.

[Use of computer technologies for studying the morphological characteristics of the iris color in anthropology]

Digital images of the iris were received for study peculiarities of the iris color during the anthropological examination of 578 students aged 16-24 years. Simultaneously with the registration of the digital images, the visual assessment of the eye color was carried out using the traditional scale of Bunak, based on 12 ocular prostheses. Original software for automatic determination of the iris color based on 12 classes scale of Bunak was designed, and computer version of that scale was developed. The software proposed allows to conduct the determination of the iris color with high validity based on numerical evaluation; its application may reduce the bias due to subjective assessment and methodological divergences of the different researchers. The software designed for automatic determination of the iris color may help develop both theoretical and applied anthropology, it may be used in forensic and emergency medicine, sports medicine, medico-genetic counseling and professional selection.

[The correlations of somatic, dermatoglyphic and psychological characteristics in the structure of general human constitution from the standpoint of systemic approach]

669 young men and women aged 16-23 years were examined using a program including the measurements of 40 body, head and face parameters, fingerprinting and determination of personal psychological characteristics. On the basis of the study of the correlations between the different groups of characteristics, the evidence was obtained that supports the concept of a relative autonomy of the morpho-functional systems as an essential condition for the integrity of the organism as a whole. The coefficients of canonical correlation were calculated between the somatic and dermatoglyphic features (R=0.3), somatic sizes and psychological personality characteristics (R=0.4), psychological characteristics and the dermatoglyphic indices (R=0.4). An original model is suggested that describes the correlations of somatic, dermatoglyphic and psychological features in the structure of general human constitution on the basis of statistically significant canonical correlations (revealed by the author) and that takes in consideration the degree of the influence of genetic and social-economic complex of factors (on the basis of the literature data) on the development and formation of the investigated systems of characteristics.

[Criteria of dimensional typology of the face and body constitution of young men]

On the grounds of results of combined anthropometrical examination of 1108 Russian juveniles 17-21 years old the relationship between face dimensions and various complex of somatic characteristics and constitutional types from Shtefko-Ostrovsky scheme was studied. The medium-sized relationship (correlation coefficient less 0.6) between parameters of various morphological subsystems "face-body" was established. Two integrative indices describing general face size and shape were calculated with the method of factor analysis. The tendency to macroprosopy in the row from asthenoid to digestive constitutional type from Shtefko-Ostrovsky scheme (p < 0.001) was revealed with the help of various statistic methods. Estimating equations to determine individual variant of general face size and shape and male somatotype by V. V. Bunak and Shtefko-Ostrovsky schemes were done for practical use the received results.

[Dermatoglyphic aspects of the human morphological constitution]

The relationship between dermatoglyphic and somatical features was investigated on the basis of the comprehensive anthropological study of 242 young men and 427 girls that included finger-printing and measurement of more than 40 body, head and face parameters, and the use of different statistical methods. The relationship of somatic and dermatoglyphic characteristics detected in young men show a tendency to nonrandom increase of many skeletal body dimension parameters and body perimeters along with complication of dermatoglyphic patterns changing from the arch to the whorl type. In girls, similar regularity was detected for skin folds measured under the scapula and at the shoulder back surface. Results of canonic analysis of the skeletal parameters show significant separation of the young men group into dermatoglyphic phenotypes: complication of the finger-print pattern increases with more massive distal epiphyses of the limb bones.

[Relationships between size and shape of the face with somatic type in women]

We studied correlations between size of the face, different complexes of somatic signs and constitutional types according to the I.B. Galant's scheme basing on the materials of a complex anthropometric examination of 1153 Russian girls 16-21 years of age. We found a mean level of correlations (maximum 0.5 of the coefficient of canonic correlation) between the parameters of various morphological subsystems "face-body" The factorial analysis allowed us to obtain two integrative indices describing a total size and shape of the face. Statistical processing revealed a trend to macroprosopia in the groups from leptosomic to megalosomic constitutional types of girls from the Galant's scheme (p < 0.001). The athletic girls have more pronounced maxillofacial (visceral) part and a reduced size of the frontal face. For application in forensic-medical practice we present equations for individual estimation of the variant of a total size and shape of the face as well as female somatotype.

Morphofunctional Parameters and Adaptation Capabilities of Students at the Beginning of the Third Millennium

On the basis of comprehensive anthropometrical observation of 1st and 2nd year students from different faculties of Moscow State University (MSU) carried out in 2002-2003, functional characteristics of the cardiovascular system (systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate) were investigated in 205 young men and 327 young women along with traditional morphological parameters. In comparisons of contemporary young men and women with their peers, whose characteristics were obtained in the course of investigations carried out over the period 1920-1990, secular trends towards an increase of body length and a worsening of strength indices were detected. Evaluation and comparative analysis of adaptation capabilities of students were carried out based on screening and assessment of adaptation potential using the Bayevsky method (1987). It was shown that the parameters of physical development and the level of adaptation of an organism to environmental conditions can be used as additional markers for determination of the health status of contemporary students for early prevention of some diseases, improvement of their physical status and increase of adaptation potentials.