The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship of handgrip strength with basic anthropometric variables, hand anthropometric variables, total body and hand composition, total body and hand bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) in prepubertal children aged between 8 and 11 years (n=64, 27 boys, 37 girls). Height and body mass were measured and body mass index (BMI kg/m2) was calculated. Biceps and triceps skinfolds, arm relaxed, arm flexed, forearm and wrist girths, acromiale-radiale, radiale-stylion-radiale and midstylion-dactylion length and humerus breadth were measured. Specific hand anthropometric variables according to Visnapuu and Jurimae [2007. Handgrip strength and hand dimensions in young handball and basketball players. J. Strength Cond. Res. 21, 923-929] were used. Five fingers' spans, fingers' lengths and perimeters of the hand were measured. Total body and right-hand fat percentage, fat mass and lean mass (LBM) were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Right-hand BMC and BMD were analysed from the bone variables. Maximal handgrip strength of the right hand was measured with the hand dynamometer. Stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that the most important predictive value from the basic anthropometric variables was body height, explaining 76.1% (R2 x 100), 40.7% and 50.6% of the handgrip strength in boys, girls and total group, respectively. Measured skinfold thicknesses and breadths were not related to handgrip strength in any group. Forearm girths significantly predicted handgrip strength in boys (30.8%), girls (43.4%) and total group (43.4%). As a rule, handgrip strength was more dependent on the anthropometric and body composition variables in boys than girls. It was concluded that body height, forearm girth, midstylion-dactylion and acromiale-radiale length and hand LBM and BMC are the most limiting factors influencing handgrip strength in prepubertal children.

Relationship of handgrip strength with anthropometric and body composition variables in prepubertal children.

Dietary patterns and longitudinal change in body mass in European children: a follow-up study on the IDEFICS multicenter cohort

Dietary patterns and longitudinal change in body mass in European children: a follow-up study on the IDEFICS multicenter cohort.

https://www.neuroimaging.theclinics.com/article/S1052-5149(06)00118-3/pdf

Congenital anomalies of the spine.

Height of individuals has long been considered as a significant index of nutrition and health of a population; still, there is little information regarding the trends of height and weight among developing or transitional countries. We assessed the secular trends in height and weight in children of the Seychelles, a rapidly developing island state in the Indian Ocean (African region). Height and weight were measured in all students of all schools in four selected school grades (kindergarten, 4th, 7th and 10th grades) for the periods 1998–9 (6391 children) and 2005–6 (8582 children). Data for 1956–7 was extracted from a previously published report. At age 15.5 years, boys/girls were on average 10/13 cm taller and 15/9 kg heavier in 2005–6 than in 1956–7. Height increased in boys/girls by 1.62/0.93 cm/decade between 1956–7 and 1998–9 and by 1.14/1.82 cm/decade between 1998–9 and 2005–6. For weight, the linear increase in boys/girls was 1.38/1.10 kg/decade between 1956–7 and 1998–9 and 2.21/2.50 kg/decade between 1998–9 and 2005–6. Overall, the relative increase in weight between 1956–7 and 2005–6 was 5-fold higher than the relative increase in height. Height and weight increased markedly over time in children aged <16 years in the Seychelles, consistent with large changes in socio-economic and nutritional indicators in the considered 50-year interval. The markedly steeper increase in weight than height over time is consistent with an epidemic of overweight and obesity.

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186%2F1471-2458-8-166.pdf

Secular trends in height and weight among children and adolescents of the Seychelles, 1956-2006.

https://isiarticles.com/bundles/Article/pre/pdf/29690.pdf

Use of video observation and motor imagery on jumping performance in national rhythmic gymnastics athletes.

AIM Aim of this study was to investigate leaping ability and morphological characteristics in rhythmic gymnastics, in order to verify which parameters are useful indicators for the talent identification. METHODS Twenty-five national gymnasts of international level (age 14.7+/-2.2 years) underwent three testing sessions: anthropometric measurements, vertical jumps (counter movement jump and hopping test), and three technical split leaps with stretched legs (SL), with ring (RG) and with back bend of the trunk (BBT). RESULTS Elite had significantly different values (P < 0.05) of stature (1.65+/-0.03 vs 1.55+/-0.09 m), thigh length (0.42+/-0.03 vs 0.39+/-0.02 m) and FFM(42.42+/-2.81 vs 35.84+/-5.66 kg) compared to sub-elite. The height of hopping test was significantly higher in elite than sub-elite gymnasts (0.34+/-0.05 vs 0.27+/-0.04 m; P < 0.05), but no significant differences in counter movement jump between two groups were found. Ground contact time of hopping test was significantly correlated (P < 0.01) with SL (r = 0.613), RG (r = 0.632), and BBT (r = 0.542) values. By multiple regression analysis, among anthropometric and vertical jump variables, the hopping ground contact time was the strongest predictor of ground contact time of the three technical leaps (SL, RG, BBT) accounting for 26-37% of variance. CONCLUSION Some anthropometric measurements are good indicators for the better performance in rhythmic gymnastics. Level of muscle compliance (stiffness) evaluated by hopping test is a good parameter for athletes selection and for monitoring leaps training.

Leaping ability and body composition in rhythmic gymnasts for talent identification.

The study of somatotypes can contribute to the understanding of variability in human body build. The aim of this study was to compare the somatotypes of Italian and Estonian schoolchildren in order to evaluate factors that might lead to variability in somatotypes. The sample consisted of 762 Italian and 366 Estonian children aged 6-11 years. They were somatotyped by the Heath-Carter anthropometric method. Data on organised extra-curricular physical activity and hours of weekly training were also collected. One-way ANOVA was used to evaluate country-related variations of somatotype in each age/sex group, while factorial ANOVA was used to test the influence of country and organised physical activity on the variability of the anthropometric characteristics and somatotype components. There are significant differences in mean somatotypes between the Italian and Estonian children in many age classes and a different constitutional trend in children from the two different countries is observed. The Italian children are more endomorphic and less mesomorphic and ectomorphic than the Estonian children. On the other hand, it emerges from factorial ANOVA, that the somatotype components do not present significant variations related to organised physical activity and to the interaction between the country of origin and sport practice. Moreover, the results of the forward stepwise discriminant analyses show that mesomorphy is the best discriminator between the two countries, followed by ectomorphy. Our findings suggest that the observed differences between Italian and Estonian children could be related mainly to country rather than to the practice of organised physical activity in the two countries.

Somatotype in 6-11-year-old Italian and Estonian schoolchildren.

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationships between handgrip and pinch strength values with basic body (body height, body mass, BMI) and with specific hand anthropometric parameters (fingers spans, lengths and perimeters) in prepubertal children. Body height, body mass and five fingers spans, lengths and perimeters were measured in 461 6-10 year old Estonian children according to Visnapuu & Jurimae (2007). BMI was calculated (kg/m 2 ). The maximal handgrip strength of the right and left hand was measured with hand dynamometer. The right and left key and tip pinch were measured with a pinch gauge. Body height, as a rule, in combination with BMI, was the strongest predictor of handgrip strength, especially in older children (about 40-60 % of the total variance, R 2 x 100). From the hand anthropometry, the most important span parameter was FS2 (see explanations in the methods), which explained about 10-50 % (R 2 x 100) of the total variance. In older groups, the FS 1 and FS3 were added to the models. From the length parameters, the most important was IFL, which in younger groups together with MFL explained 10-30 % of the total variance, and in older groups the addition of RFL increased the influence to 45 % (R 2 x 100). From the perimeters, the most important one was P2 which explained the variability of the handgrip strength in younger groups by 15-30 % (R 2 x 100) and in older groups together with P3 and P4 even 30-40 %. In children, the basic anthropometric parameters (body height and BMI) contribute more to the prediction of handgrip strength than the specific anthropometric parameters. With increasing age the contribution of basic and specific hand anthropometry increases and the relation between anthropometry and handgrip strength is stronger in boys compared with girls. The relation of basic and hand anthropometry to the tip and key pinch strength is relatively low.

The influence of anthropometric characteristics to the handgrip and pinch strength in 6-10-year old children.

We describe a rare congenital malformation of the spine known as ‘butterfly’ vertebra, which is classified as a congenital developmental anomaly in the early embryonic period, resulting in a sagittally cleft vertebral body. In our case, the anomaly affects an adult female and involves the fifth lumbar vertebra and first sacral vertebra; it is not associated with other anomalies of the spine. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A case of ‘butterfly’ vertebra from Sardinia

Traumatic lesions are commonly found in archaeological skeletal samples and provide useful information about various behavioral and cultural aspects of the populations. Our aim was to evaluate the relationship between the distribution and types of skeletal traumatic lesions and the different life-styles of past populations. We examined three necropolises in central Italy. Pozzilli (VI-IV century BC) and Quadrella (I-IV century AD) are from the same geographical area (Molise) but belong to different periods; Novilara (IX-VI century BC) is located in Marche but belongs to the Iron Age like Pozzilli. The lesions observed at Pozzilli seem not to be accidental, whereas the traumas observed at Quadrella can be attributed to occasional, unintentional events. Cranial injuries observed at Novilara strengthen the hypothesis that the population was composed, at least in part, of warriors. Our results suggest the presence of a relationship between skeletal traumatic lesions and life-styles of populations.

/pdf/traumatic-events-and-life-style-in-ancient-italian-4yc5k3640s.pdf

Angela Raffaella Ventrella

Papers

Leaping ability and body composition in rhythmic gymnasts for talent identification.

Somatotype in 6-11-year-old Italian and Estonian schoolchildren.

The influence of anthropometric characteristics to the handgrip and pinch strength in 6-10-year old children.

A case of ‘butterfly’ vertebra from Sardinia

Traumatic events and life-style in ancient Italian populations.