Variación regional de la estatura y diámetros transversales en universitarios españoles nacidos a finales del siglo XIX

Abstract

This paper analyzes anthropometric information of adult males born during the second half of the nineteen century. This sample was obtained in the Laboratory of Anthropology of the Museum of Natural Sciences in Madrid. Data were grouped in four geographical regions: North, Plateau, East and South and also subdivided into two categories: localities having less than 20,000 inhabitants (rural); and urban (more than 20,000 residents or capital of province). The results obtained for height show significant regional variability, with a difference of 1.67 cm between the South and the Plateau regions. Considering the urban-rural condition, inter-regional differences are found whatever the population category. Average height was slightly higher in urban than in rural areas, but statistical significance was not reached. With regard to biacromial and bicrestal widths no regional heterogeneity was detected. Although the biacromial dimension was greater in rural areas, when expressing these transversal diameters respecting height, a similar physical structure is found. The contribution of the present paper is the recovering of ancient anthropometric data corresponding no to conscripts but to students, which permitted to study the geographical variability in height as well as the body proportions (biacromial and bicrestal widths) with respect to urban-rural environment. In addition, some bibliographic information on this subject due to physical anthropologists is here provided.