Temporal Dynamics of the Morphological Characteristics of the Abkhazian Children and Adolescents in Changing Living Conditions of the Population

Abstract

Introduction. The purpose of the work is to determine of temporal variability of morphological characteristics of urban Abkhazian children and adolescents in the context of changing living conditions. Materials and methods. For the first time, the parameters of some morphological signs of Abkhaz children and adolescents 10-17 years old from the city of Sukhum (Republic of Abkhazia) in 2012 were presented. Intergenerational analysis of somatic development indicators was carried out for boys and girls 10-17 years (the total number of examined was 1,651 people). Surveys 2005 and 2012 were conducted under a single protocol and included a set of measuring and descriptive features. Results. During the considered time period for Abkhaz adolescents of 17 years, stability of longitudinal proportions of the skeleton is noted. For Abkhaz girls, a time trend has been established towards flattening the shape of the chest, and narrowing the shoulder diameter. Similar changes in transverse skeletal parameters in boys are trending. The observed discrepancies in the parameters of signs for two samples of Abkhaz children are observed during ecosensitive growth periods. Stunts in growth and development caused by the effects of difficult living conditions in the early years in children of the 2005 examination are compensated by the end of the growth period. Two samples of Abkhaz children achieve similar definition parameters at different rates. The under development for younger children in the 2005 sample is offset by continued growth rates until the end of the growth period. Over the period of time considered, labile components of catfish have changed to a greater extent, determining the girth characteristics of the body. For Abkhaz children, a temporary trend towards an increase in abdominal fat deposition and a decrease in subcutaneous fat deposition on the limbs was determined. Conclusion. The sex specificity of the time trend of different characteristic systems is observed. Changes in the transverse dimensions of the skeleton for girls were noted. For Abkhaz children, a time trend has been determined to change the topography of subcutaneous fat deposition according to the "truncal" type, which is probably the result of adaptation to new living conditions, changes in the traditional lifestyle of the population. Over the period of time under review, minor changes in the skeletal system were noted for Abkhaz adolescents. Significant changes affected the fatty component of the soma: there is a change in the topography of fat deposition towards the truncal type. For Abkhaz teenagers, the gender specificity of the secular dynamics of various systems of characteristics has been established. The study results demonstrate the important role of environmental factors on the morphological status of the genetically stable Abkhaz population.