AGE-RELATED VARIABILITY OF SOMATOTYPE FEATURES IN FEMALES

Aiming to identify the variability patterns in the physique and somatotype of females aged 18-50 (Saratov Region, Russia) by anthropo-and bioimpedance methods the following parameters were determined: age; body length; body weight; waist circumference; hip circumference; body mass index; waist/hip circumference index; endo-, ecto- and mesomorphy indicators. The women were divided into groups as follows: Group I, 18-20 years old, 37 participants; Group II, 21-30 years old, 41 participants; Group III, 31-40 years old, 43 participants; Group IV, 41-50 years old, 57 participants. The least variable feature of the total body sizes was found to be the body length; the variability index in the age groups did not reveal much of change - from 3.1 to 3.8 (low). The exo- and mesomorphy indicators featured low variability (Cv % - 8.8 and 5.5, respectively). The body weight (Cv % - 12.8 to 24.9), the BMI (Cv % = 22.7) as well as the waist/hip index (Cv % = 10.1) showed an average variability, while the variability value for the endomorphy index (CV%=32.4) proved to exceed the average one. Therefore, the total body measurements, such as the body weight, waist and hip circumference, endo-, exo- and mesomorphy indicators for those aged 18-40 increased significantly to get stable in the IV age group, except for the body length, which changed slightly along with ageing. The body mass index, too, went up until the age of 40 and then stabilized, while the waist/hip index showed a statistically significant increase only within the I and II age groups. Along with the age, the waist/hip index increased, as well as goes up the number of those overweight, obese, and people with the transition and the android body types.