Secular trends in somatic and motor characteristics of physical education students

This study investigated changes in somatic and motor characteristics of 3,514 physical education students at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium) from the academic years 1941-1942 to 1988-1989. To facilitate data handling, the span of 47 years was divided into nine cohorts for anthropometric variables, and 4 cohorts for the motor data which were available only since the 1968-1969 academic year. A total of 21 anthropometric variables (since 1959) and 9 motor performance tests (since 1968) are included in the analysis. Descriptive statistics were calculated for all variables and for each cohort, and analyses of variance were done to test the significance of secular trends. For weight and length dimensions a significant increase was noted; current students are, on average, 4.2 kg heavier and 5.8 cm taller than those in 1941-1946. In contrast, however, there is no change and even a negative trend in circumferences and breadth dimensions. Current students had, on average, significantly narrower shoulders and hips by 0.5 cm and 1.0 cm for biacromial and bicristal breadths, respectively, than students in the 1959-1963 cohort, and a significantly smaller hip circumference by 3.3 cm between the 1959-1963 and 1984-1988 cohorts. Current students had a thicker triceps skinfold than students 25 years ago, with average values of 8.0 mm and 6.3 mm, respectively. However, no significant differences were observed in the subscapular and suprailiac skinfolds. For motor performance, current students obtained better results in flexibility, several strength tests, and running speed than students of 15 years ago. However, no change was observed in average speed of limb movement. It is hypothesized that the changes in both somatic characteristics and motor performance are related in part to changes in secondary school physical education programs and to changes in the first year university physical education curriculum. Published 1992 by Wiley-Liss, Inc.