ANTHROPOLOGY AND HEALTH

Abstract: Surveys conducted in children and adults clearly show secular trends in their body parameters with typical positive, i.e. upward, trends. The parameter which is most frequently monitored and at the same time, is most indicative of general changes is body height. Progressive increase in mean body height can be seen in many countries not only in adults but also in children and adolescents of all age groups. Changes in body height are associated with variation in other parameters such as body weight with characteristic positive trend. Nevertheless, body weight has recently been increasing more rapidly compared to body height which leads to higher prevalence of overweight population .