Comparative Characteristics of the Somatometric Parameters of City School Children of Belarus aged 8-16 Examined in the Period from 1925 to 2010-2012
Objective: to study the changes of the somatometric parameters of city school children of Belarus aged 8-16 over time in the period from 1925 to 2010-2012.Material and methods. To study the somatometric parameters, over 2010-2012 the city school children (1423 boys and 1438 girls) aged 8-16 were examined by the method of V. V. Bunak. The following somatometric parameters were measured in the examined schoolchildren: body length and body weight, chest circumference. To assess the changes in the dynamics of the somatometric parameters of the city school children of Belarus over time, the obtained data were compared to the corresponding data obtained by Р. М. Моnоszоn-Luibina in 1925, by S. A. Lialikov and S. D. Orehovy over 1989-1997.Results. It has been found that the city school children of Belarus examined over 2010-2012 are characterized by higher indices of the somatometric parameters (body length and body weight, chest circumference) (p < 0.05-0.001) as compared to their peers examined in 1925, and 1989-1997.Conclusion. The comparative analysis of the obtained data has made it possible to establish the presence of the process of acceleration in the city school children of Belarus aged 8-16 at the beginning of the 21st century.