Original scientific paper
What Happens to Children When They Grow up? How Does the Human Body Change After the Age of 18
Miroslav Prokopec
Abstract
The present study answers the question on how the human body changes in two successive
decades after its final height had been reached. One hundred and three individuals (56
males and 47 females) who were followed up longitudinally by a team of scientists from
birth to 18 years of age were investigated anthropometrically by 18 body measurements
again when they reached the age of between 35 and 39 years. The Carter-Heath somatotype
was ascertained as a part of the study. The results of the investigation at the age of 35
to 39 years were compared with the Czech Standard and with those from 18 years of age.
The means of all measurements in both sexes increased with age (with the exception of
stature in females). Relative measurements and indices, which were calculated only in the
groups of 35–39 year-olds were all on the average greater in males than in females with
the exception of relative head circumferences and pelvis width, in the pelvis width in per
cent of biacromial width, in the sum of skinfolds, and in the gross percent of body fat.
Males as well as females increased from the age of 18 to 35–39 as a rule in weight, muscle,
bone and fat mass, which were manifested by a shift towards endomorphic and mesomorphic
components of their somatotypes away from the ectomorphic one.
Keywords
children; growth; adult age; changes in anthropometrical measurements; somatotypes
Hrčak ID:
28127
URI
Publication date:
26.6.2003.
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