502 



HEIGHT AND WEIGHT IN RELATION TO BUILD 



In the study of the relative proportions of the body the most practical method 

 is to express other linear measurements in terms of ratio to stature. In making- 

 stature the standard, however, it must be remembered that the stature is about 

 1 cm. greater in the recumbent than in the standing position; that after rest in bed 

 at night the stature standing may be as much as 2.5 to 3 cm. greater than later in 

 the day, 1 and that the length of a fresh cadaver is greater by about 2 cm. than the 

 stature during life. 



Grouping by age and stature. The chief disadvantage, however, in the use of 

 most of the data referred to above comes from the fact that as a rule the various 

 measurements of the body have been studied primarily from the standpoint of age 

 rather than from that of stature and have been averaged for a given age rather than 

 for a given stature. Thus we may find the average stature of a given group of 

 boys between the eighth and ninth birthday is 126.1 cm., the average sitting-height 

 68 cm. We may assume that 68 cm. approximates the average sitting-height for 

 a stature of 126.1 cm. and that the average ratio of height to sitting-height for a 

 child with a stature of 126.1 cm. is approximately 54 per cent. Since, however, 

 children of a given age vary considerably in size the approximation is at best a 

 somewhat rough one. To get accurate data concerning relative bodily proportions 

 the children should be grouped primarily according to stature, not age or if 

 grouped according to age the age-group should be subdivided into stature-groups. 

 Hastings (1902) has followed the latter method and has recorded his data in such 

 a way that it is possible to compare proportions based on measurements recorded 

 according to age with those recorded according to stature. Thus we find: 



TABLE 9. 



From these data it may be seen that in this case the relative sitting-height 

 based on age-group statistics is lower than that based on stature-groups of similar 

 height. Hasting's stature subgroups are, however, rather comprehensive groups. 

 It is of interest to compare the data just given with data based on the records of the 

 individual cases published by Boas and Wissler, 1904. For boys between 7.1 and 

 11.8 years of age there are records of 40 with a stature between 126 and 126.9 cm. 

 The average height is 126.4 0.237, the average sitting-height is 67. 74 2. 14, the 

 relative sitting-height is 53.6 per cent of stature, a figure more nearly corresponding 

 with Hastings age-group data than with his stature-subgroup data. Boas and 

 Wissler's 40 cases may be subdivided into 4 age-groups of 10 each with an average 



1 ( 'urtiss (1898) followed the nightly loss in weight and gain in stature in three young men daily for a school year. The 

 average loss in weight was 0.79 pounds, the average gain in stature about 18.22 mm. 



