Somatic Characteristics and Growth Patterns of Tribal Adolescents in Tripura: A Cross-Sectional Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.34256/ijk2618Keywords:
Anthropometry, Youth Adolescent, Morphological growth, Fat Percentage, Ectomorphic TraitsAbstract
Introduction: Despite growing evidence on adolescent growth and nutritional status in India, limited cross-sectional research has examined age- and sex-related variation in body size, body composition, skeletal dimensions, and somatotype within a single framework among tribal adolescents in Tripura. To address this gap, the present study examined the somatic characteristics and growth patterns of tribal adolescents in two selected Autonomous District Council areas of Tripura using a cross-sectional design. The present study investigates the somatic features and growth trends of tribal adolescents in Tripura, India, employing a cross-sectional design. Methods: A total of 503 tribal adolescents (264 boys and 239 girls) were selected through incidental sampling, with the intention of maintaining an even distribution across three age brackets: 11.6–13.5 years (Group 1), 13.6–15.5 years (Group 2), and 15.6–17.5 years (Group 3). Results: The findings reveal distinct developmental patterns that deviate from conventional growth models, with clear age- and sex-related differences in anthropometric variables. The findings showed clear age- and sex-related variation in growth and body composition. Boys demonstrated progressive increases in height, body weight, and lean mass across age groups, together with declining endomorphy and increasing ectomorphy, indicating a gradual shift toward a more mesomorphic-ectomorphic physique. Girls also showed age-related increases in body size, but they displayed higher fat percentage, increasing endomorphy, and a stronger endomorphic-mesomorph profile in later adolescence. Skeletal breadths and limb girths increased in both sexes, although boys showed larger limb girths while girls demonstrated notable increases in humerus and femur breadths. Conclusion: This research supports the importance of population-specific growth references and highlights the necessity of culturally informed approaches to sports development among indigenous groups.
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Articles published in the International Journal of Kinanthropometry are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided appropriate credit is given to the original authors and the source.
