Investigative Study of Somatic Indicator Values in Pubertal Schoolchildren from Urban Areas

Abstract

The values of somatic indicators, height and weight as well as their ratio defined as BMI are important reference points of human organism growth and development in gymnasium-cycle schoolchildren populations. Knowledge of the relationship between height and weight is important, not only during growth periods, where it is used to evaluate organism growth and development, but also for the adult individuals. If the two indicator values are analyzed separately, it can be seen that height represents the more efficient indicator for organism growth and development evaluation whereas weight is affected by multiple deviations due to the influences of diet and living conditions.
The aim of this research is to evaluate the level of the main indicators of somatic growth (height and weight) in children aged between 12 – 15 years, the object of this study being organism growth and development level. In order to emphasize the importance of organism growth and development rate, a study on the somatic indicators was conducted between May and June 2014, encompassing a number of 261 schoolchildren, of which 132 girls and 129 boys from General School No. 30 of Braşov.
The significantly higher level of the measured values of the indicators reveals the effects of an acceleration phenomenon in the gymnasium-cycle population. We assume that, urbanization, the superior quality of the diets, and last but not least, genetic factors are the driving forces behind this acceleration process.