Current trends in growth processes in the population of young residents of the Northeast of Russia

Abstract

Background - The purpose of this work was to study the manifestation of the secular trend in the population of young male residents of Magadan region. Material and Methods - We examined 17-21 year old male residents of Magadan region (n=1,628). Depending on their terms of residence in the northeast we divided the subjects into four groups. The newcoming migrants, Caucasians by origin, all from the central parts of the country having a relatively short (in average, 7.1 ± 1.3 years) period of residence made up Group 1 (n=62) and were considered as the “zero” generation. Group 2 (n=918) was made up of Magadan region born Caucasians considered as the first generation whose parents were the migrants. Group 3 (n=582) was young male residents born in the region as the second generation. Finally we referred the subjects born in the third generation to group 4 (n=66). The research was aimed at ascertaining and analyzing the vector of change in basic somatometric values of physical development observed in young male residents of Magadan region depending on their term of residence in the territory. For the aim, we studied the series of direct somatometric characteristics and their predictive indices. Results - As a result we could trace significant dynamics through nearly all the examined parameters and their predictive indices in the row from the zero to the third generation. Subjects from the third generation demonstrated reliably higher body mass, chest circumference and total fat values as compared to those of the other groups. In the studied row, a U-shaped trend was observed in the body length. Of note that subjects from the first and the second generations showed that parameter reliably lower than in the zero and the third generation subjects. In parallel with the growth of the body longitudinal size, the increase in the circumference indices as well as the body mass was found. The latter proved not to lead to the formation of an asthenic somatic type being typical of some populations in our country. Besides, changes in the body constitutional proportions were revealed in representatives of the current population of the third generation that could be mostly seen in the legs enlarging in comparison with the body length. Conclusion - As a whole, results of the carried research testified to a secular trend in processes typical of the population inhabiting the territory of Magadan region. That proved to differ from the tendency described by authors of other regions who had observed the balancing in the young residents' growth processes. The changeability in somatometric values could be caused by social and economic alterations occurred in Magadan region in 1990s and 2000s.