Tychinina A.P., Koryagina Yu.V., Nopin S.V., Akimkina O.N. Features of physical development of 6-10 years old children (boys) living in the Central Russia

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Publication date:15.06.2024
DOI: 10.24412/2782-6570-2024_03_02_8
UDC 612.66

FEATURES OF PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT OF 6-10 YEARS OLD CHILDREN (BOYS) LIVING IN THE CENTRAL RUSSIA

A.P. Tychinina, Yu.V. Koryagina, S.V. Nopin, O.N. Akimkina

FSBI “North-Caucasian Federal Research-Clinical Center of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency”, Essentuki, Russia

Abstract. The article is devoted to a comprehensive study of anthropometric indices of 6-10 years old boys who live in the Central Russia: Moscow, Ivanovo, Vladimir, Tver Oblasts and comparison with the data obtained 20 years ago. The study included the morphofunctional status assessment according to gender and age. The following equipment was used: height chart, centimeter tape, sliding caliper, spreading caliper, and floor electronic scales. A database was formed in Microsoft Excel 2013 based on the measurement results. Calculation of indices and their evaluation were carried out using the developed “Human body mass composition” computer program. Comparison of height and weight indices of boys with the data of the past years shows that modern peers have greater height and weight and are characterized by a greater fat component of body mass. As a result of the study it was revealed that lean, muscle mass and relative mass of fat component in boys at the age of 6-10 years increase evenly in all the studied ages, absolute mass of fat component increases in the period from 6 to 8 years, other indices remain stable, without special changes. Physical development of boys at the age of 6-10 years is characterized by active development of the skeletal and muscular system, as well as an increase in fat mass.

Keywords: anthropometry, physical parameters, health status, boys, height, weight.

Introduction. Physical development is one of the leading criteria, on the basis of which it becomes possible to draw conclusions about the state of health of a person; it is a process of change in the size, shape of the body and its functions throughout its life, depending on endogenous and exogenous factors [1]. At the turn of the decades scientists of our country speak about the negative tendency in the state of health of the younger generation. In their opinion, children's physical activity is decreasing, mental loads in the process of study are intensifying, the quality of diet is changing, and the ecological situation in large cities is deteriorating [2].

Using the method of anthropometric study, it is possible to give qualitative and quantitative characterization of variability of the functional state and physical development of the human body [3]. This study method includes following indices: functional (vital capacity (VC), back strength etc.), somatometry (length, diameters, body mass etc.), somatoscopy (identifying the state of the musculoskeletal system etc.) [4]. By applying special formulas, taking into account anthropometric data and the skinfold method, the body composition is determined with finding fat, muscle and bone components of body mass. By rating the aforementioned parameters, one can assess physical development of a child in accordance with age norms, since each step of the ontogeny is characterized by its own specific anatomical and physiological features [5].

The morphofunctional status of boys when growing up is characterized by a development of connective tissue, increased girth of chest, height and weight. Also, an annual increase of body mass to 2.5 kg and body length to 4.5 cm is registered [6]. The age of 14 to 18 years is described with signs of individual and typological body constitution features, the body reaches its completion in development [6].

Aim of the study – to identify the features of physical development of 6-10 years old boys from the Central Russia, to conduct a comparative analysis of height and weight of modern children with the data obtained 20 years ago.

Methods and organization. Researchers of the Center of Biomedical Technologies (FSBI “North-Caucasian Federal Research-Clinical Center of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency”) selected 75 boys aged 6-10 years from the Central Russia (Moscow, Ivanovo, Vladimir, Tver Oblasts), who are undergoing sanatorium treatment in the Caucasian Mineral Waters. Prior informed voluntary consent was obtained from the parents (or legal representatives) for the child's participation in the study.

In physical development evaluation, we used a generalized (cross-sectional observations) method of assessment, including somatometric indices (height; weight; length of the arm, shoulder, legs, hips, foot; girth of the hand, wrist, forearm, relaxed and tense shoulder, chest at rest; thickness of skin and fat folds: hand, forearm, abdomen, waist, thigh, shin) with standard equipment and methodological guidelines titled Comprehensive anthropometry in sports and clinical practice: methodological guidelines [4]. According to the results, a database was created in Microsoft Excel 2013.

Calculation of the indices and their assessment were conducted with the “Human body mass composition” software [7]. Therefore, we identified following indices: fat-free body mass with the Behnke formula, body surface area with the Isaksson formula, absolute mass of fat component (D) with the Ya. Matejko formula, relative mass of fat component, absolute mass of muscle component, relative mass of muscle component, absolute mass of bone component, relative mass of bone component, specific body weight according to the Quetelet I, Quetelet II, Broca, Erisman and Pinier indices.

The statistical processing of the results was conducted in Statistica 12.0. Following methods of statistical processing were chosen: descriptive statistics presented in the form of medians and quartiles (Me (Q1; Q3)), minimum and maximum (min÷max), mean values (M), factor analysis. To assess the statistical significance of the differences between the studied phenomena, the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test was used. The differences were considered significant at p<0.05.

Results and discussion. Modern anthropology studies human ontogenesis as a united process regulated by a genetic complex identifying tempo of growth and development.

Physical development indices (height and weight) of 6-10 years old boys were compared with the results of 20 years ago taken from official sources. Height and weight comparison with the data of the past years shows that modern peers have greater height and weight, are described with a large fat component of body mass.  The rest of the anthropometric and morphological indices we investigated were not found in official documents and published research papers (table 1).

The highest activity in the processes of increasing height and weight is registered in the age of 1 to 10 years. In addition, seasonal fluctuations are also present: in spring and summer, height growth accelerates and weight growth slows down; in the fall, weight growth increases with slower height growth; in winter, height and weight grow approximately equally. These fluctuations are largely related to the nature of nutrition and lifestyle of a child at different times of the year [10].

Table 1

Mean values (М) of height and weight of 6-10 years old boys received 20 years ago

№	Age	Height, cm	Weight, kg
1	6-7	124.3	24.6
3	8	128.1	26.9
4	9	133.2	29.6
5	10	139.3	33.5

Note: the data is shown in a form of mean values

Analysis of total body dimensions has shown that 6-10 years old boys have increased indices of intensity in growing height and weight. The received data are statistically significant at p<0.05 (table 2).

Analysis of the data has revealed that fat-free mass and relative mass of fat component are increasing in accordance with age, surface area does not change, absolute mass of fat component increases in the period from 6 to 8 years, muscle mass of children increases equally in all the studied ages, other indices remain stable, without any special changes (table 3).

According to the data presented in table 3, the morphofunctional indices of 6-10 years old boys, such as fat-free body mass, body surface area, absolute mass of fat component, relative mass of fat component, absolute mass of muscle component, Quetelet I index differ statistically in all the studied ages. Relative mass of muscle component, absolute mass of bone component, relative mass of bone component, specific body mass, the Quetelet II, Broca, Erisman and Pinier indices do not differ for these ages.

Table 2

Physical development indices (weight and height) of 6-10 years old boys

№	Indices	6-7 years* (n=4)	8 years* (n=19)	9 years*(n=20)	10 years*(n=32)	P<
1	Height, cm	125	133	138	141	0.001
2	Weight, kg	23	30	32	35	0.003

Note: significance of differences was calculated by Kruskal-Wallis test, differences between all groups are reliable

Table 3

Body composition criteria of 6-10 years old boys, Me [Q1; Q3], (min÷max)

№	Indices	6-7 years  (n=4)	8 years (n=19)	9 years (n=20)	10 years (n=32)	P<
1	2	3	5	6	7	8
2	Fat-free body mass – Behnke formula*	17 [15;19](15÷20)	24 [21;27](17÷39)	26 [24;29](22÷40)	30 [25;32](20÷40)	0.0002
3	Body surface area –  Isaksson formula	0,8 [0,7;1](0,7÷1,0)	1 [0;1] (0,8÷1)	1 [1;1] (0,9÷1)	1 [1;1] (0,8÷1)	0.0002
4	Absolute mass of fat component – Ya. Matejko formula	2 [2;2] (1÷3)	3 [2;5] (1÷18)	4 [3;6] (2÷13)	5 [3;9] (2÷16)	0.004
5	Relative mass of fat component	11 [9;11](7÷11)	13 [10;18](7÷29)	15 [10;18](8÷29)	17 [12;20](9÷32)	0.05
6	Absolute mass of muscle component	10 [10;11](9÷11)	14 [13;17](9÷26)	16 [14;19](10÷27)	16 [15;21](8÷28)	0.005
5	Relative mass of muscle component	46 [43;51](42÷54)	51 [49;53] (44 ÷ 57)	51 [50;54](40÷102)	52 [50;53](20÷64)	-
6	Absolute mass of bone component	4 [3;4] (3÷4)	5 [4;6] (3÷8)	5 [5;6] (3÷7)	5 [4;6] (3÷8)	-
7	Relative mass of bone component	19 [18;19](17÷19)	19 [18;21](9÷24)	18 [17;20](10÷22)	17 [14;20](6÷29)	-

8	Specific body mass	1 [1;1] (1÷1)	1 [1;1] (1÷1)	1 [1;1] (1÷1)	1 [1;1] (1÷1)	-
9	Quetelet I index	177 [171;193](170÷204)	208 [198;262](154÷353)	224 [214;252](190÷321)	234 [215;286](182÷354)	0.01
10	Quetelet II index	14 [14;14](13÷14)	15 [15;19](12÷26)	16 [15;18](13÷22)	16 [15;19](12÷24)	-
11	Broca index	78 [65;93](64÷95)	76 [72;90](61÷123)	74 [68;82](56÷95)	74 [69;83](52÷104)	-
12	Erisman index	-3 [-6;0](-7÷0)	-1 [-4;0](-8÷13)	-1 [-6;1](-16÷6)	-2 [-5;2](-12÷11)	-
13	Pinier index	43 [38;48](38÷48)	39 [30;44](6÷50)	39 [30;46](21÷56)	40 [29;45](10÷54)	-

Note: significance of differences was calculated by Kruskal-Wallis test, differences between all groups are reliable, the data is shown in a form of medians and quartiles, minimum and maximum

Based on the data obtained, development of 6-10 years old boys is characterized by an active development of skeletal and muscular systems, as well as an increase of fat body mass.

Using the factor analysis, we found a structure of important variables demonstrating morphological differences in terms of age. One of the important factors for boys aged 6-7 years involved typical changes of the morphofunctional status, including muscle and bone mass – changes in longitudinal indices with a 61.3% of total share of variance. The second important factor for such age is connected with an increase of absolute and relative mass of fat component with a 32.0% of total share of variance (table 4).

Table 4

Main factors reflecting the morphofunctional status of 6-7 years old boys

Factors	Variables	Total share of variance
1	Fat-free body mass	61.3%
	Body surface area
	Absolute mass of muscle component
	Relative mass of muscle component
	Absolute mass of bone component
	Quetelet I index
	Broca index
	Erisman index
	Pinier index
2	Absolute mass of fat component	32.0%
	Relative mass of fat component
	Relative mass of bone component
	Specific body mass
	Quetelet II index

Changes in absolute and relative fat component were included in the first significant factor with a 50.0% of total share of variance. The second significant factor with a total share of variance of 30.5% included increased body surface area and fat-free mass (table 5).

One of the important factors influencing development of 9-year-old boys and explaining the 49.3% of total share of variance, connected with an increase in fat component, i.e. an increase of latitudinal indices. The second significant factor for this age group reflects changes in body muscle mass and body surface area with a total share of variance of 24.5% (table 6).

The first significant factor for 10-year-old boys with a total share of variance of 60.2% is an increase in body surface area, muscle and fat component. The second significant factor with a total share of variance of 15.8% is characterized by a change in the bone component – an increase in longitudinal indices (table 7).

Table 5

Main factors reflecting the morphofunctional status of 8-year-old boys

Factors	Variables	Total share of variance
1	Absolute mass of fat component	50.0%
	Relative mass of fat component
	Relative mass of bone component
	Specific body mass
	Quetelet I index
	Quetelet II index
	Broca index
	Erisman index
	Pinier index
2	Fat-free body mass	30.5%
	Body surface area
	Relative mass of muscle component

Table 6

Main factors reflecting the morphofunctional status of 9-year-old boys

Factors	Variables	Total share of variance
1	Absolute mass of fat component	49.3%
	Relative mass of fat component
	Specific body mass
	Quetelet I index
	Quetelet II index
	Broca index
	Erisman index
	Pinier index
2	Body surface area	24.5%
	Absolute mass of muscle component

Table 7

Main factors reflecting the morphofunctional status of 10-year-old boys

Factors	Variables	Total share of variance
1	Body surface area	60.2%
	Absolute mass of fat component
	Relative mass of fat component
	Absolute mass of muscle component
	Quetelet I index
	Quetelet II index
	Broca index
	Erisman index
	Pinier index
2	Absolute mass of bone component	15.8%

As a result of the factor analysis we have found that each age has its own morphofunctional features. For example, for boys aged 6-9 years, changes in latitudinal indices are most characteristic, for 10-year-old boys – changes in longitudinal indices.

Conclusion. According to the results of the study, features of morphofunctional development of boys aged 6-10 years from the Central Russia, who were undergoing sanatorium treatment in the Caucasian Mineral Waters, are revealed. We also conducted a comparative analysis of the received data with the data obtained 20 years ago.

The data analysis over age has shown that physical development of boys aged 6-10 years is characterized with an active development of skeletal and muscular systems, as well as an increase of fat body mass.

According to the results of the conducted factor analysis it is found that each age is characterized by its own morphofunctional signs, for example, for boys aged 6-9 years the most characteristic are changes in latitudinal indices, and for 10-year-olds – changes in latitudinal indices. On the basis of the data obtained it is possible to form morphofunctional, individual and typological “profile”, allowing to characterize the features of physical health of representatives of each age separately.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Aleksandra P. Tychinina – Researcher of the Center of Biomedical Technologies, FSBI “North-Caucasian Federal Research-Clinical Center of Federal Medical and Biological Agency”, Essentuki, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Yulia V. Koryagina – Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor, Head of the Center of Biomedical Technologies, FSBI “North-Caucasian Federal Research-Clinical Center of Federal Medical and Biological Agency”, Essentuki, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Sergej V. Nopin – Candidate of Technical Sciences, Leading Researcher of the Center of Biomedical Technologies, FSBI “North-Caucasian Federal Research-Clinical Center of Federal Medical and Biological Agency”, Essentuki, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Oxana N. Akimkina – Junior Researcher of the Center of Biomedical Technologies, FSBI “North-Caucasian Federal Research-Clinical Center of the FMBA of Russia”, Essentuki, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

For citation: Tychinina A.P., Koryagina Yu.V., Nopin S.V., Akimkina O.N. Features of physical development of 6-10 years old children (boys) living in the Central Russia. Russian Journal of Sports Science: Medicine, Physiology, Training, 2024, vol. 3, no. 2. DOI: 10.24412/2782-6570-2024_03_02_8