Digit ratio (2D:4D) and sprinting speed in boys.
Digit ratio (2D:4D), a putative correlate of prenatal testosterone, has been found to relate to performance in sport and athletics such that low 2D:4D (high prenatal testosterone) correlates with high performance. Speed in endurance races is strongly related to 2D:4D, and may be one factor that underlies the link between sport and 2D:4D, but nothing is known of the relationship between 2D:4D and sprinting speed. Here we show that running times over 50 m were positively correlated with 2D:4D in a sample of 241 boys (i.e. runners with low 2D:4D ran faster than runners with high 2D:4D). The relationship was also found for 50 m split times (at 20, 30, and 40 m) and was independent of age, BMI, and an index of maturity. However, associations between 2D:4D and sprinting speed were much weaker than those reported for endurance running. This suggests that 2D:4D is a relatively weak predictor of strength and a stronger predictor of efficiency in aerobic exercise. We discuss the effect sizes for relationships between 2D:4D and sport and target traits in general, and identify areas of strength and weakness in digit ratio research.
Manning
J T
JT
MRC Epidemiology Resource Unit, Southampton University, Southampton, United Kingdom. jtm@mrc.soton.ac.uk
Hill
M R
MR
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000886:Anthropometry; D002648:Child; D005385:Fingers / Q000254:growth & development*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology*; D011780:Qatar; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism
D013739:Testosterone