Study on Adult Somatotype of Nu Nationality by the Heath-Carter Method

The somatotype of 317 Chinese Nu nationality adults (183 males and 134 females) in Yunnan province are measured and studied by Heath-Carter method.The results are as follows:(1) The mean somatotype were both balanced masomorphy category in males and balanced endomorph-mesomorphy category in females.The values of males and females were 2.1-4.9-2.6 and 4.3-4.5-1.7,respectively.(2) In both of sexes,endomorphy increased and the ectomorphy decreased with their age increasing(male 20-49 years;female 20-49 years),after the age of 50,somatotypes changed negatively.And mesomorphy of males increased with age(20-49 years),after the age of 50,mesomorphy changed negatively,but mesomorphy of females increased with age(20-60 years).(3) There was very significant sexual difference in the somatotype.Female had lower values of mesomorphy and ectomorphy but higher of endomorphy than males.(4) In comparison with other peoples,the endomorphy of Chinese Nu nationality was relatively smaller,and mesomorphy is higher,and ectomorphy is higher or moderate.The somatotype of Nu nationality was the closest to that of Dong nationality(male SAD=0.46,female SAD=0.36),and closer to that of Bouyei nationality and Gelao nationality.