Body Height and Its Estimation Utilizing Arm Span Measurements in Serbian Adults

Abstract

SUMMARY:Anthropologists recognized the tallness of nations in the Dinaric Alps long time ago. As the modern Serbians fall more into the Dinaric racial classification than any other does, the purpose of this study was to examine the body height in Serbian adults as well as the relationship between arm span as an alternative to estimating the body height, which vary in different ethnic and racial groups. The nature and scope of this study analyzes 394 students (318 men, aged 20.13±1.47 and 76 women, aged 19.59±1.46) from the University of Novi Sad to be subjects. The anthropometric measurements were taken according to the protocol of the ISAK. Means and standard deviations were obtained. A comparison of means of body heights and arm spans within each gender group and between genders were carried out using a t-test. The relationships between body height and arm span were determined using simple correlation coefficients and their 95% confidence interval. Then a linear regression analysis was performed to examine the extent to which the arm span can reliably predict body height. The results have shown that male Serbians are 181.96±6.74 cm tall and have an arm span of 184.78±8.41 cm, while female Serbians are 166.82±5.88 cm tall and have an arm span of 164.67±8.09 cm. Compared to other studies, the results of this study have shown that both genders make Serbian population one of the tallest nations on the earth. Moreover, the arm span reliably predicts body height in both genders. However, the estimation equations, which were obtained in Serbians, are substantially different alike in other populations, since arm span was close to body heights: in men 2.82±4.89 cm more than the body height and in women 2.15±4.68 cm less than the body height. This confirms the necessity for developing separate height models for each population.

Standing Height and its Estimation Utilizing Arm Spam and Foot Length Measurements in Dinaric Alps Population: A Systematic Review

“…As it has already been established in a significant number of studies, the ratio of arm span and foot length measurements and body height varies from race to race and from ethnic group to ethnic group, it was clear that something would be confi rmed in Montenegro (Bjelica et al, 2012), in Serbia (Popovic et al, 2013), as well as in Kosovo . Namely, all the studies that aimed at determining the relationship between arm span and foot length measurements and body height in the Dinaroids area have undoubtedly proved that it is necessary to create new coeffi cients necessary for determining relative body height through other anthropometric parameters that we apply when the body height can not be measured the standard way, and that has already been explained in detail in the introduction of this study.…”

“…Th ese assumptions have been confi rmed, in other words, in all the mentioned countries, specifi c relations have been established when the body height and arm span or the length of the foot are concerned, but it is interesting to point out that in Serbia only the student population, which is believed to have specifi c demographic characteristics is measured (Popovic et al, 2013), and it is recommended to do further research of the general population in order to determine whether the evidence obtained on the student population is valid for the general population. On the other hand, in Montenegro, matching results were obtained on the student and general population, while the diff erences were obtained when the regions were in question: the northern, middle and southern regions .…”

Allometric Variation in Modern Humans and the Relationship Between Body Proportions and Elite Athletic Success

“…Humans today are highly variable in body size and shape, and the relationship between stature and arm span has been found to vary between human populations due to both environmental and genetic factors (Popović et al, 2015;Ruff , 2002). As a global average, arm span generally exceeds stature, although in some populations arm span is very close and sometimes even less than stature (Popović et al, 2015;Stulp & Barrett, 2016).…”

“…Th e archaeological record indicates that human height was fairly stable from 100,000 to 50,000 years ago and has since experienced a small decrease in average stature (Formicola & Giannecchini, 1999;Ruff et al, 2002). Humans today are highly variable in body size and shape, and the relationship between stature and arm span has been found to vary between human populations due to both environmental and genetic factors (Popović et al, 2015;Ruff , 2002). As a global average, arm span generally exceeds stature, although in some populations arm span is very close and sometimes even less than stature (Popović et al, 2015;Stulp & Barrett, 2016).…”

True height and variability in estimates thereof across race and gender

“…7,18,29,45,[55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64][65][66][67] Findings have described how total arm span overestimates standing height. 7,18,29,45,[55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64][65][66][67] Before puberty, total arm span is closely correlated with standing height. After the onset of puberty (approximately 15 years), the correlation decreases and gender-related variations widen.…”