Dimorphic differences in selected somatic parameters in students of equal height.

Abstract

This paper's aim was to describe dimorphic differences in selected somatic traits in adults of equal height. The research was based on anthropometric measurements which were taken over in 2005-2015 on a 1,911-strong cohort, 625 men and 1,286 women, aged 18-25, all of them students at the University of Zielona Góra. They were divided into 10 height groups (two-centimeter compartments), ranging from 162.1 cm to 182.0 cm. The following somatic traits were measured: height, body mass, trunk length, lengths of lower and upper extremities, hip width, shoulder width, chest width, and chest depth. The research led to the following conclusions: 1. The biggest morphological differences were found between the shortest students; with height the differences became ever less pronounced. 2. Sexual dimorphism was most pronounced in body mass, shoulder width, and chest depth (which were greater in men), and hip width (greater in women). With regard to the other somatic traits, the picture of differences was rather patchy and showed not very distinct sexual dimorphism. 3. All mean somatic parameters increased with height in both sexes. This was most visible in body mass and the lengths of upper and lower extremities, and less visible in trunk length and chest width.