Growth of Estimated Segment Masses between Four and Sixteen Years

Document Type

Article

Authors

Robert K. Jensen, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario

Abstract

Segment mass increases during childhood and adolescence.The purpose of this study was to use estimates of segment masses to examine the increases between four and sixteen years in males. Segment mass was calculated from a model composed from transverse elliptical zones and re- ported densities. Accuracy was judged in terms of shape representation and the mean of the sum of the segment masses deviated from the mean body weight by only 0.83%. Within the limitations of the selected heterogeneous sample the results support the concepts of cephalo-caudal and distal to proximal development. Intra-individual curves and polynomial regressions across 82 annual observations in a mixed longitudinal design also show that segment length and segment mass provide different but complimentary in­formation about growth. These results have implications for human move­ment as well as physical growth.

Recommended Citation

Jensen, Robert K. (1987) "Growth of Estimated Segment Masses between Four and Sixteen Years," Human Biology: Vol. 59: Iss. 1, Article 14.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/humbiol/vol59/iss1/14