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Changes in body proportions of Japanese medical students between 1961 and 1986
Author(s) -
Takamura Kazuyuki,
Ohyama Shiro,
Yamada Teruki,
Ishinishi Noburu
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
american journal of physical anthropology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.146
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1096-8644
pISSN - 0002-9483
DOI - 10.1002/ajpa.1330770104
Subject(s) - trunk , sitting , body height , demography , medicine , body weight , biology , sociology , ecology , pathology
Abstract Since 1945, the Japanese physique has changed a great deal. Physical examinations of medical students at Kyushu University have been carried out on an annual basis since 1939. We investigated changes in body proportions using data on 813 medical students examined from 1961 to 1986. During these 26 years, standing height has increased by 4.69 cm, arm length by 2.58 cm, and sitting height by 0.79 cm. Thus, the Japanese have grown taller and their extremities are longer, yet the trunk has not changed significantly. This study also shows a 10‐year delay in increase in length of the upper extremities.