Science Journal of Medicine and Clinical Trials

March 2014,Volume 2014, ISSN: 2276-7487

© Author(s) 2014. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Research Article

 

Anthropometric Measurements And Sexual Dimorphism In School Children And Adolescents In Enugu-Nigeria

* Agu, Augustine Uchechukwu, Anyanwu, Godson Emeka, Ezugworie, Joseph Okike, Obikili, Emmanuel Nebeuwa

Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus

Accepted 6th September, 2013; Available Online 2 March,2014

doi: 10.7237/sjmct/119

Abstract:

Actual stature, weight and body measurements are useful for the purpose of assessing growth, body fat distribution and for provision of reference data The aim of this study was to provide data for economic planning and health use and to determine presence of sex difference in the parameters. The study was a cross sectional survey of 1489 subjects (807 males and 691 females) within the age of 5-18 years selected from University of Nigeria primary and secondary school and Command day secondary school. The height (Ht), weight (Wt), biacromial diameter (BAD), bi-iliac diameter (BID) and waist circumference (Wc) were measured and analyzed. At 9 to 13 years, the females were taller and weighed more than the males though statistically significant at 12 and 9 years respectively, while the males were significantly taller and weighed more than the females at 14 to 18years. At 5 to 8, the values for the males were greater but not significant. The BAD were significantly greater in males at 5, 6, 8 and 15 to 18 years while at 9 to 11 years, it was greater in females. Generally, the females had higher values of BID and Wc than the males except at 18years where the males recorded significantly higher values. There were significant positive correlations among the parameters measured. Presented here are the anthropometric measures and existence of sexual dimorphism in school children and adolescents in Enugu with males having larger BAD, being taller and weighing more than the females. These differences were most significant at 14 to 18 years old. In contrast, females had larger BID and Wc. Females also tend to have higher values at 9 to 13 year age group in other parameters due to the obvious reason of early adolescent

Keyword: Anthropometric measures, sex determination, school children and adolescent, Enugu-Nigeria

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