Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 16, 2026
06:48
Clinical Anthropometrics and Body Composition from 3-Dimensional Optical Imaging
Published on: June 7, 2024
BMI distribution/social stratification in Swiss conscripts from 1875 to present.
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
|February 18, 2010
Summary
Swiss men
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Anthropometry
- Sociology
Background:
- Examines historical trends in Body Mass Index (BMI) among Swiss conscripts.
- Utilizes unbiased data from 1875-1879, 1933-1939, and 2005-2006.
Observation:
- Mean BMI increased significantly between the 1870s and 2005.
- Obesity prevalence rose by a factor of 105 from the 1870s to present.
- BMI distribution became more right-skewed with higher standard deviation in recent data.
Findings:
- Over 23% of Swiss men in 2005-2006 had a BMI over 25 kg/m².
- In 2005-2006, unskilled workers had higher BMI percentiles than students.
- Obesity rates were 12% for unskilled workers versus 2% for students in 2005-2006.
Implications:
- BMI disparities between socio-economic strata reversed from the late 19th century to 2005-2006.
- Increased BMI skewness disproportionately affected lower socio-economic groups.
Related Concept Videos
01:19Uniform Distribution
The uniform distribution is a continuous probability distribution of events with an equal probability of occurrence. This distribution is rectangular.Two essential properties of this distribution are The area under the rectangular shape equals 1. There is a correspondence between the probability of an event and the area under the curve.Further, the mean and standard deviation of the uniform distribution can be calculated when the lower and upper cut-offs, denoted as a and b,...
01:16Stratified Sampling Method
Sampling is a technique to select a portion (or subset) of the larger population and study that portion (the sample) to gain information about the population. The sampling method ensures that samples are drawn without bias and accurately represent the population. Because measuring the entire population in a study is not practical, researchers use samples to represent the population of interest.
To choose a stratified sample, divide the population into groups called strata and then take a...
To choose a stratified sample, divide the population into groups called strata and then take a...
01:22Applications of Normal Distribution
The normal distribution is a useful statistical tool. One of its practical applications is determining the door height after considering the normal distribution of heights of persons, such that many can pass through it easily without striking their heads. The normal distribution can also determine the probability of a person having a height less than a specific height.
The heights of 15 to 18-year-old males from Chile from 1984 to 1985 followed a normal distribution. The mean height is 172.36...
The heights of 15 to 18-year-old males from Chile from 1984 to 1985 followed a normal distribution. The mean height is 172.36...
00:57Percentage Frequency Distribution
A percentage frequency distribution, in general, is a display of data that indicates the percentage of observations for each data point or grouping of data points. It is a commonly used method for expressing the relative frequency of survey responses and other data. The percentage frequency distributions are often displayed as bar graphs, pie charts, or tables.
The process of making a percentage frequency distribution involves the following few steps: note the total number of observations;...
The process of making a percentage frequency distribution involves the following few steps: note the total number of observations;...
01:17z Scores and Area Under the Curve
z scores are the standardized values obtained after converting a normal distribution into a standard normal distribution. A z score is measured in units of the standard deviation. The z score tells you how many standard deviations the value x is above (to the right of) or below (to the left of) the mean, μ. Values of x that are larger than the mean have positive z scores, and values of x that are smaller than the mean have negative z scores. If x equals the mean, then x has a z score of zero.
01:21The Bell Curve
The normal probability distribution, often depicted as a symmetrical, bell-shaped curve, is fundamental in statistics and the study of natural phenomena. This pattern, famously described by mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss, shows how data points are distributed around a central mean, with most values near the average and fewer observations occurring as they deviate further from it.
This pattern applies to many human characteristics beyond intelligence, such as height. For example, if you...
This pattern applies to many human characteristics beyond intelligence, such as height. For example, if you...