Somatotype related to centripetal fat patterning of 8‐ to 19‐year‐old Basque boys and girls

Abstract

The association between fat distribution and Heath-Carter anthropometric somatotypes was studied in a sample of Basque children and youth aged 8-19 years. About mid-adolescence, mean somatotype of Basque males changed, diminishing in endomorphy and mesomorphy, and increasing slightly in ectomorphy. For the same period, reduced mesomorphy was the most striking change in the female mean somatotype; meanwhile, there was an increase in endomorphy and a decrease in ectomorphy. Two groups of fat distribution were identified: centripetal and peripheral. Centripetal fat increased with age in both sexes. Fat distribution groups showed the following characteristics: a) mean somatotypes of centripetal and peripheral subjects were significantly different; b) centripetal boys and girls were extreme endomorphs prior to adolescent somatotype change; c) centripetal girls showed high ratings of endomorphy after adolescence; d) mesomorphy was related to a centripetal fat distribution pattern in both sexes; e) using the BMI as a criterion of obesity, only 16.3% of centripetal males and 21.8% of centripetal females were classified as obese; f) obesity was absent among subjects with a peripheral pattern, except for one male showing an endomorphic-mesomorph somatotype; h) the obese showed extreme somatotypes with high endomorphy and mesomorphy, and minimal ectomorphy. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Fat distribution in relation to sex and socioeconomic status in children 4–19 years

“…Several characteristics that influence body fat distribution in adults have been studied, including sex, aging and daily habits (i.e., smoking, alcohol consumption) (Shimokata et al, 1989a(Shimokata et al, , 1989b. The effects of age and sex on subcutaneous fat distribution in childhood and adolescence have also been described (Malina and Bouchard, 1988;Cameron et al, 1992;Rosique et al, 1994;Johnston et al, 1995).…”

Physique, subcutaneous fat, adipose tissue distribution, and risk factors in the Québec Family Study

“…Among Basque youth aged 8 ± 19 y, those with a centripetal fat distribution, were higher in endomorphy and mesomorphy, and lower in ectomorphy than those with a peripheral fat distribution in both sexes. 40 Alternatively, men who were characterized by an android (central) distribution of body fat, rated higher in mesomorphy, but lower in endomorphy. 38 Although the results of these studies suggest an association between relative fat distribution and somatotype, neither controlled for level of overall fatness, as in the present study.…”

“…Among youth, the Heath-Carter 20 anthropometric somatotype was related to relative fat patterning, those with a centralized subcutaneous fat distribution were higher in endomorphy and mesomorphy, and lower in ectomorphy. 40 However, neither study controlled for overall fatness, and further research is thus required to better determine the nature of the relationship in both youth and adults.…”

Mesomorphy Correlates With Experiential Cognitive Style

“…As noted above this is an appropriate analysis for the separate components, but not for the whole somatotype. Beunen et al (1987), Bell (1994 and Rosique et al (1994), applied the MANOVA procedures. However, these authors erroneously claim to have analyzed the "whole somatotype", but in fact analyzed the three separate components.…”