Correlations among the components of human somatotype and some anthropological parameters in female patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

The aim of the present study was to determine and compare the correlative relations between the components of somatotype and some anthropological parameters in Bulgarian women with type 2 diabetes mellitus (N=212). They were divided by age into two groups: a 40–60 years group - 92 subjects and a 61–80 years group - 120 subjects. Eighty healthy women-controls were also examined and they were divided into two groups. In order to calculate the components of the human somatotype and Body Mass Index (BMI) we measured the following height, weight, biepicondylar breadth of the humerus, biepicondylar breadth of the femur; the circumferences of the: upper arm relaxed, upper arm flexed and tense, forearm, waist, hip and calf and the following skinfolds: subscapular, chest, suprailiac, abdominal, triceps brachii, forearm, thigh and medial calf. Calculated parameters were: a) Components of human somatotype according to the criteria of Heath-Carter [2]; b) BMI. In subjects with DM aged 40–60 years the endomorphic component of somatotype demonstrated weak (P > 0.05) or strong (P < 0.0001) correlation with the parameters characterizing adipose tissue accumulation, while the mesomorphic component showed moderate (P < 0.01) to strong (P < 0.0001) correlation with the same parameters. In subjects with DM aged 61–80 years there was moderate (P < 0.01) to strong (P < 0.0001) correlations between endomorphy and the parameters which characterize adipose tissue accumulation and weak (P > 0.05) correlations between them and the mesomorphic component. Negative correlative relation was found between the ectomorphic component and the circumferences of the waist, hip and thigh and ВМІ in diabetic patients from both aged groups.