Somatotypological features of men of working age – natives of the North

Abstract

Anthropometry is known as the basic method for the body physical status assessment.The aim. The study examined anthropometric and somatometric indices in the working age men and investigated physical development variables specific for the region in terms of being used for early diagnosing obesity-related risks for non-infectious diseases.Materials and methods. One hundred and twenty-three male subjects aged 32–40 participated in the survey (mean age was 35.2 ± 0.2 years). Subjective main physicaldevelopment parameters were analyzed.Results. Participants’ average body length variables were seen to be significantly higher than those in other Russia’s regions and some other countries. The similar tendency was observed for subjective body mass, chest circumference, and body mass index variables with disharmonic somatotype and hypersthenic type of body constitution revealed in examined working age men in comparison with younger male subjects. Musculoskeletal mass loss and fat accumulation indicate the development tendency of sarcopenia in men of working age. Excessive body weight prevalence in 32–40-year-old men was 47 %, and 17 % of the examinees were diagnosed with 1st degree obesity.Conclusion. The survey identified the modern population of male northerners as having negative tendencies in their somatometric picture, which involves disharmonic somatotype, sarcopenia, excessive body weight, and 1st degree obesity and results in significant risks for non-infectious inflammation and cardiovascular diseases at the studied age.