SUMMARY: Inconsistent data are available on the relation between breast cancer, adiposity, body size and somatotype. The aim of our study was to compare anthropometric characteristics, body composition and somatotype between breast cancer patients and healthy controls. Study group consisted of 106 breast cancer patients while control group consisted of 100 healthy women who underwent 29 anthropometric measurements. Women with breast cancer expressed more male anthropometric features like higher stature (160.75±6.91 vs. 158.17±4.89 cm, p=0.020), shorter trunk (sitting height in premenopausal: 84.94±5.07 vs. 88.50±3.84 cm, p=0.001 and postmenopausal women: 81.96±6.08 vs. 85.19±3.36 cm, p=0.001), narrower hips (29.20±3.78 vs. 32.24±1.78 cm, p=0.000), higher biepicondylar diameter of humerus (premenopausal: 6.64±0.71 vs. 6.31±0.42 cm, p=0.012; postmenopausal: 6.95±0.63 vs. 6.54±0.49 cm, p=0.000), larger upper- and forearm as well as upper thigh circumferences followed by lower biceps and higher thigh skinfold thicknesses. They also had significantly lower endomorphy (premenopausal: 5.84±1.78 vs. 6.55±0.96, p=0.027; postmenopausal: 6.89±1.52 vs. 7.37±0.86, p=0.035) and significantly higher ectomorphy (premenopausal: 2.05±1.30 vs. 1.41±0.99, p=0.018; postmenopausal: 1.06±0.90 vs. 0.68±0.56, p=0.007), as well as higher mesomorphy only in postmenopausal women (6.10±2.04 vs. 5.37±1.34, p=0.022). Most represented somatotype among breast cancer patients was endomorph-mesomorph while the most healthy controls were mesomorphic endomorph. Android body type increases the risk of development of breast cancer. Indicators of skeletal dimensions, muscle volume and peripheral adiposity had better predictive value over markers of central and overall adiposity.

RESUMEN: La información en la literatura es variable sobre la relación entre el cáncer de mama, la adiposidad, el tamaño corporal y somatotipo de las mujeres. El objetivo de este estudio fue comparar las características antropométricas, la composición corporal y el somatotipo entre pacientes con cáncer de mama y controles sanos. El grupo de estudio consistió en 106 pacientes con cáncer de mama y el grupo de control de 100 mujeres sanas que se sometieron a 29 mediciones antropométricas. Las mujeres con cáncer de mama tenían mayor cantidad características antropométricas masculinas, tal como una estatura más alta (160.75±6.91 vs. 158.17±4.89 cm, p = 0.020), tronco más corto (altura sentada en premenopáusica: 84.94±5.07 vs. 88.50±3.84 cm, p = 0.001 y mujeres posmenopáusicas: 81.96±6.08 vs. 85.19±3.36 cm, p = 0.001), caderas más estrechas (29.20±3.78 vs. 32.24±1.78 cm, p = 0.000), mayor diámetro biepicondilar del húmero (premenopáusico: 6.64±0.71 vs. 6.31 ±0.42 cm, p = 0.012; posmenopáusica: 6.95±0.63 vs. 6.54±0.49 cm, p = 0.000), mayor circunferencia del antebrazo y la parte superior del muslo, bíceps inferiores y mayor grosor del pliegue de la piel del muslo. Además se observó una endomorfia significativamente menor (premenopáusica: 5.84±1.78 vs. 6.55±0.96, p = 0.027; posmenopáusica: 6.89±1.52 vs. 7.37±0.86, p = 0.035) y una ectomorfia significativamente más alta (premenopáusica: 2.05±1.30 vs. 1.41 .990.99, p = 0.018; posmenopáusica: 1.06±0.90 vs. 0.68±0.56, p = 0.007), así como una mayor mesomorfia solo en mujeres posmenopáusicas (6.10±2.04 vs. 5.37±1.34, p = 0.022). El somatotipo más representado entre las pacientes con cáncer de mama fue el endomorfomesomorfo, mientras que los controles más sanos fueron el mesomórfico endomorfo. Las características del cuerpo tipo androide aumenta el riesgo de desarrollar cáncer de mama. Los indicadores de dimensiones esqueléticas, volumen muscular y adiposidad periférica tuvieron un mejor valor predictivo sobre los marcadores de adiposidad central y general.

Morphological characteristics of children commonly imply the processes of growth and development. Information on children's growth in height and their body weight is often used as the indicator of the children's health and nutritional status. As the parameters are changeable both temporally and spatially, it is important to provide their continual assessment. The aim of the study is to investigate the changes in morphological characteristics in a sample of Serbian 7-year-old children in the period 2005 2014. The data was gathered from medical documentation recorded in the period 2005-2014 in the local health-care centre "Dr Dusan Savic Doda" in Beocin, which is situated in the central part of the province Vojvodina, the north-west part of Serbia. Most of the population consists of Serbs (69.7 %), and the second largest group are Roma (9 %) who came to this region in the 1990s as refugees from Kosovo. The categorization of the participants was based on their decimal age ranging from 6.50 to 7.49 years. Body height and weight were measured, and nutritional status categories were set in relation to the cut off values of body mass index (BMI) of the age of 7 (kg/m2) as proposed by IOTF- International Obesity Task Force. The study has pointed to an increasing trend in height and a decrease of BMI. Analysing the period of ten years, the height, weight and BMI in seven-year-olds living on the territory on Beocin municipality have proven to be slightly lower than in the children of the same age in other parts of Vojvodina and Serbia. The obtained results point to the need of further investigations of children living in this region in order to provide a better insight into the changes of the morphological parameters.

Las características morfológicas de los niños suelen implicar los procesos de crecimiento y desarrollo. La información sobre el crecimiento de los niños en altura y peso corporal se utiliza a menudo como el indicador de su salud y de su estado nutricional. Como los parámetros son cambiantes tanto temporalmente como espacialmente, es importante realizar una evaluación continua. El objetivo del estudio fue investigar los cambios en las características morfológicas en una muestra de niños serbios de 7 años en el período 2005-2014. Los datos se obtuvieron de la documentación médica registrada en el período 2005-2014 en el Centro de Atención de Salud "Dr Dusan Savic - Doda" en Beocin, situado en la region central de la provincia Vojvodina, al Noroeste de Serbia. La mayor parte de la población se compone de serbios (69,7 %) y el segundo grupo más grande son los romaníes (9 %) que llegaron a esta región en la década de 1990 como refugiados de Kosovo. Los participantes fueron clasificados en base a su edad decimal de 6,50 a 7,49 años. Se midió la estatura y el peso corporal y se establecieron las categorías de estado nutricional en relación con los valores de corte del índice de masa corporal (IMC) de 7 años de edad (kg / m2), según lo propuesto por IOTF International Obesity Task Force. El estudio ha señalado una tendencia creciente en altura y una disminución del IMC. Analizando el período de diez años, la altura, el peso y el IMC en niños de siete años que viven en el territorio del municipio de Beocin han demostrado ser ligeramente más bajos que en los niños de la misma edad en otras areas de Vojvodina y Serbia. Los resultados obtenidos apuntan a la necesidad de nuevas investigaciones de los niños que viven en esta región con el fin de proporcionar una mejor visión de los cambios en los parámetros morfológicos.

ABSTRACT Background Obesity is a well known risk factor for the development of metabolic abnormalities. However, some obese people are healthy and on the other hand some people with normal weight have adverse metabolic profile, therefore it can be assumed that there is a difference in physical characteristics amongst these people. The aim of this study was to establish whether there are somatotype differences between metabolically healthy and metabolically obese women who are obese or of normal weight. Subjects and methods Study included 230 women aged 44.76 ± 11.21y. Metabolic status was assessed according to IDF criteria, while somatotype was obtained using Heath & Carter method. Results Significant somatotype differences were observed in the group of women with normal-weight: metabolically healthy women had significantly lower endomorphy, mesomorphy and higher ectomorphy compared to metabolically obese normal-weight women (5.84-3.97-2.21 vs. 8.69-6.47-0.65). Metabolically healthy obese women had lower values of endomorphy and mesomorphy and higher values of ectomorphy compared to ‘at risk’ obese women but the differences were not statistically significant (7.59-5.76-0.63 vs. 8.51-6.58-0.5). Ectomorphy was shown as an important determinant of the favorable metabolic profile (cutoff point was 0.80). Conclusion We concluded that, in addition to fat mass, metabolic profile could be predicted by the structure of lean body mass, and in particular by body linearity.