Body physique in Bengali adolescent boys from west Tripura district, Tripura, India

Author(s): Sandeep Roy Sarkar, Samir kumar Sil*

Abstract

In this study an attempt has been made to grow information on age differences in body physique among Bengali boys from rural areas of West Tripura district, Tripura during adolescent growth period. Cross-sectional data on 247 Bengali boys aged 8+ to 16+ years were collected using multistage cluster sampling method. Anthropometric somatotyping, the method forwarded by Heath and Carter, is followed in the present study. Descriptive statistics for all ten anthropometric measurements shows increasing trend with age. The results suggest that the Bengali boys are predominately ectomorphic in their body physique. Mean somatotype of Bengali boys were 2.14–3.83–4.27. During the nine years there was an overall increase of 0.22 units in endomorphy, 0.17 units in ectomorphy, and a decrease of 0.3 units in mesomorphy. Highest percentage of Bengali boys were mesomorphic ectomorph. Majority of the somatotype categories are in the field of somatochart where ectomorphy dominates, thus reflecting their relative linearity or slenderness.

Share this article

International Journal of Bioassays is a member of the Publishers International Linking Association, Inc. (PILA), CROSSREF and CROSSMARK (USA). Digital Object Identifier (DOI) will be assigned to all its published content.