title: What happens to children when they grow up? How does the human body change after the age of 18.
abstract: The present study answers the question on how the human body changes in two successive decades after its final height had been reached. One hundred and three individuals (56 males and 47 females) who were followed up longitudinally by a team of scientists from birth to 18 years of age were investigated anthropometrically by 18 body measurements again when they reached the age of between 35 and 39 years. The Carter-Heath somatotype was ascertained as a part of the study. The results of the investigation at the age of 35 to 39 years were compared with the Czech Standard and with those from 18 years of age. The means of all measurements in both sexes increased with age (with the exception of stature in females). Relative measurements and indices, which were calculated only in the groups of 35-39 year-olds were all on the average greater in males than in females with the exception of relative head circumferences and pelvis width, in the pelvis width in per cent of biacromial width, in the sum of skinfolds, and in the gross percent of body fat. Males as well as females increased from the age of 18 to 35-39 as a rule in weight, muscle, bone and fat mass, which were manifested by a shift towards endomorphic and mesomorphic components of their somatotypes away from the ectomorphic one.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Public Health, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Miroslav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prokopec
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging; D000886:Anthropometry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013008:Somatotypes