Secular trend in body dimensions and morphological status of modern student youth of Petrozavodsk

Abstract

Introduction. The article presents the results of the anthropological expedition to Petrozavodsk (Northwestern Federal District), conducted in April 2024, in order to study the long-term (secular) dynamics of total body size, changes in body proportions over the past 60 years, and morphological characteristics of modern youth in this region.

Materials and methods. The study group consisted of 470 young men and women aged 18–23, mainly (more than 90%) Russians by nationality, born and living in Petrozavodsk. Subjects were examined according to a comprehensive anthropometric program including measurement of total body sizes, shoulder and pelvic breadths, trunk and limb circumferences, skinfolds, and grip strength on right hand.

Results and discussion. The average height of young men born in Petrozavodsk increased by 7.7 cm across birth cohorts from the 1936-49s to the 2001–2006s (2024 survey). The rate of secular increase is about 1.1 cm per decade. Intergroup comparisons of body length in female samples from Petrozavodsk demonstrated an increase in height in modern women by 6.3 cm compared with the cohorts born in the 1936-49s (about 0.9 cm per decade). Along with the secular increase in total body size over the past 60 years, a tendency towards a relatively narrow build and an increase in andromorphic proportions of the body build in modern young women of Petrozavodsk has been noted. Long-term changes in anthropometric parameters in Petrozavodsk are comparable with the general secular trend in Russia and are consistent with the hypothesis of the dominant influence of socio-economic factors on intergenerational transformation of the physique of children, adolescents and young adults.

Conclusion. Based on the materials of an anthropological survey of young men and women in Petrozavodsk aged 18-23, conducted in 2024 by the research team of the Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, using comparable data obtained from literature sources, long-term changes (secular trend) in total body size have been established. The regional features of the physique of young men and women surveyed in Petrozavodsk, compared with youth from other cities in Russia, were revealed. Based on the most informative body dimensions, spider web charts are created to illustrate the unique aspects of the physical condition of young men and women in Petrozavodsk. These charts can be employed to track physical development and enhance the adaptability and physical well-being of today's young population. © 2025. This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license

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