Somatotype, nutrition, and obesity.
The purpose of this investigation is to evaluate the somatotype characteristics of the studied group and search for a relation between somatotype, obesity, and particular features of nutrition.



Somatotype after Health & Carter (1990), nutritional status according to Body mass index (BMI), and nutrition determined by food-frequency questionnaires.



Over 94% of the subjects in this study were distributed into five somatotype categories: 51.6% endomorphic mesomorphs, 17.1% mesomorph-endomorphs, 16.7% mesomorphic endomorphs, 6.1% balanced mesomorphs, and 3.0% ectomorphic mesomorphs, with a pronounced sexual dimorphism. Males were distributed into five categories: over 65% were endomorphic mesomorphs, and above 40 years of age the mesomorphy increased. Females were distributed into three somatotype categories: up to and above 40 years of age over 44% were mesomorphic endomorphs. In the most common somatotype categories, 1 of 5 subjects (from 21.4% to 19.9%) had normal body mass (< 25 kg/m2), 4 of 5 subjects (from 34.2% to 52.6%) were overweight (> 25 kg/m2) or obese (> 30 kg/m2) kg/m2 (from 44.4% to 27.5%). In the remaining eight categories, all subjects had normal body mass. Hyperenergetic, sodium- and fat-excess nutrition had an especially unfavorable influence.
Koleva
M
M
Department of Hygiene, Ecology and Occupational Health, Medical University-Sofia, Bulgaria. mkoleva@mail.bol.bg
Nacheva
A
A
Boev
M
M
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000886:Anthropometry; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002031:Bulgaria / Q000453:epidemiology; D004041:Dietary Fats; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012982:Sodium, Dietary; D013008:Somatotypes
D004041:Dietary Fats; D012982:Sodium, Dietary; D001205:Ascorbic Acid