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Estimates of aging and secular changes using total arm length
Harinder K Sethi1, L S Sidhu1, Pushpa Singal1
1Department of Human Biology, Punjabi University, Patiala-147002, India.
Summary
Aging causes a slight decrease in stature for both working and nonworking women. However, secular trends did not significantly impact height changes in this study group.
Area of Science:
- Anthropology
- Human Biology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Understanding age-related changes in human stature is crucial for various fields, including anthropology and gerontology.
- Previous studies have often combined aging effects with secular trends, leading to potential misinterpretations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To differentiate and quantify the effects of aging and secular trends on stature in women.
- To investigate potential differences in these effects between working women and nonworking women.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study was conducted on 387 working and 460 nonworking Khatri women aged 20-75.
- Total arm length, which is minimally affected by aging, was used as a covariate to adjust stature for aging effects.
- Stature changes were analyzed to separate aging-induced decrease from secular variations.
Main Results:
- Aging resulted in a statistically significant decrease in stature, with rates of 0.142 cm/year for working women and 0.140 cm/year for nonworking women.
- After adjusting for aging, secular trends in stature were negligible (0.004 cm/year for working women, 0.01 cm/year for nonworking women) and not statistically significant.
Conclusions:
- Aging is a significant factor in stature reduction in women.
- Secular influences on stature appear minimal in the studied Khatri population over the observed period.
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