Sexual dimorphism of body proportions and composition among 16–19-year-olds from south asia (India) and central Europe (Poland)

Article Type

Research Article

Publication Title

Anthropologischer Anzeiger

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the sexual dimorphism of body proportions and body composition among 16–19-year-olds from South Asia (India) and Central Europe (Poland). The study group consisted of the results of anthropometric measurements of 2008 youths (16–19-year-olds). 1098 of them came from Kolkata (India) and 910 from Kraków (Poland). For each of the analyzed anthropometric characteristics, the index of sexual dimorphism was calculated, basing on mean and standard deviation values. The body height was one of the most dimorphic features, in both populations. Also, the dimorphism in body adiposity, upper and lower limb, as well as trunk adiposity, pelvi-acromial and frame indicators was similar in both populations. Limbs-to-trunk adiposity index and trunk-to-total adiposity ratio were more dimorphic among the South Asian population, while the muscle mass was notably more dimorphic in the Polish adolescents. Such differences in the values of the Mollison’s index may have been associated with the discrepancies in overall body fat ratio, which is much greater in the South Asians. Additionally, it may be related to different models of sexual preferences and attractiveness perception in both, culturally significantly varying, populations.

First Page

177

Last Page

186

DOI

10.1127/anthranz/2021/1276

Publication Date

1-1-2021

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