The influence of body weight deficiency on indicators of physical development in 12-13-year-old girls

Abstract

The article presents the results of a comparative analysis of indicators of physical development in adolescent girls with insufficient and normal body weight. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of insufficient body weight on indicators of physical development in adolescent girls. Methods and organization of the study: theoretical analysis of specialized literature, comparative analysis, anthropometric research methods, and methods of mathematical statistics. Girls aged 12-13 took part in the study (a total of 138 persons, including 108 girls aged 12 and 30 girls aged 13). Results. The results of the comparative analysis showed statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) in some indicators of physical development between the girls with insufficient body weight and girls with normal body weight. The 12-year-old girls with insufficient body weight had statistically significantly lower (p < 0.05) body weight, waist circumference, and left-hand grip strength than their peers with normal body weight. In contrast to 12-year-old girls, 13-year-old girls with insufficient body weight had all median indicators of physical development, except for shoulder circumference, lower then the girls of this age with normal body weight. In 13-year-old girls with insufficient body weight, the decrease in the indicators of physical development is larger than in 12-year-old girls, that is, the negative impact of insufficient body weight on the physical development of girls intensifies. Insufficient body weight was accompanied by a decrease in the group averages of hand grip strength in girls. A negative trend was demonstrated, which indicates that insufficient body weight impairs the normal development of the child's body. Conclusions. The results of the study demonstrated significant differences in the indicators of physical development between girls with normal and insufficient body weight.