Academy of Sciences) 

 No. 3] 



MEASUREMENTS 



Table 22. — Weight-height ratio (grams per centimeter) 



23 



Members of the Academy 



Old Americans 



Not old Americans 



Old Americans 

 at large (labora- 

 tory series) 



Subjects 



Average 



Minimum 



Maximum 



Range of variation in percentage of the average 

 <r 



cv 



426. 65 ±3. 83 

 324 

 562 



55. 78 

 53. 00 ±2. 71 

 12. 42 ±0. 64 



47 



420. 50 ±4. 74 



338 



558 



52. 32 



48. 13 ±3. 35 



11. 45±0. 80 



232 

 390. 8 



DISTRIBUTION 



Grams per centimeter 



324-350 351-375 376-400 401-425 426-450 451-175 476-500 501-525 526-550 551-562 



Old Americans (88) 



Not old Americans (47) . 



Percent 

 10. 2 



8. 5 



Percent 

 4. 5 

 6. 4 



Percent 

 11. 4 

 14, 9 



Percent 



27. 3 

 36.2 



Percent 



17.0 

 17.0 



Percent Percent 



13. 6 5. 7 

 43 4.3 



Percent 



4.5 

 4.3 



Percent 



4.5 

 2. 1 



Percent 



1. 1 



2. 1 



WEIGHT-HEIGHT RATIO BY AGE 



Subjects to 60 years of age, inclusive 



Average 



<r 



CV 



Over 60 years of age 



Average 



a 



CV 



Members of the Academy 



Old Americans 



55 



432 ±4. 10 



45. 08 ±2. 90 



10. 44 ±0. 67 



33 

 417. 5 ±7. 56 

 63. 38 ±5. 34 

 15. 18±1. 28 



Not old Americans 



21 



421. 5 ±5. 50 



37. 38 ± 3. 89 



8. 87 ±0.92 



26 

 419. 7 ±7. 33 

 55. 40 ±5. 18 

 13. 20 ±1. 23 



Distribution. — The variation and distribution of the weight-height index in the members of 

 the Academy are of interest (table 22). Considering the restricted numbers in the two and 

 especially in the second series, these figures show perhaps more agreement than could have been 

 anticipated. In both groups there are evidently a few subjects in whom the weight-to-stature 

 ratio is subnormal, and some more in whom it is somewhat abnormal; but in about one-half of 

 the total membership the ratio ranges from 401 to 450 grams per centimeter, which may be 

 taken as the most usual condition, at the ages involved, of the academicians. This showing 

 (as well as that of the general means) is however somewhat biased by the senile diminution in 

 stature of the more aged; but the main point, the excess in weight of the members of the Academy 

 over the old Americans at large, remains. 



The matter may be tested more closely. Taking only the 76 members of the Academy 

 who at the time of the examination were not over 60 years old, we get as their average weight 

 75.13 kilograms, while that in the old Americans at large was 68.63 kilograms; and the average 

 weight-height (gram-centimeter) ratio in these academicians, 423.6; in the old Americans at 

 large, 390.8. The members are still absolutely as well as relatively-to-stature significantly the 

 heavier. The details are shown in table 22. 



The data accentuate, first of all, the fact that the members on the average are heavier in 

 relation to stature at all ages and especially up to 60. After 60, in both series, the weight ratio 

 diminishes and this even with lowering stature. 



167689° — 40- 



