BEAUTY IDEALS AND TEMPORAL CHANGES IN SOMATIC CHARACTERISTICS OF MODERN YOUTH

DOI: 10.33876/2311-0546/2021-3/161-182

Abstract

The article presents the results of the study of temporal dynamics of some somatic characteristics of Moscow young males and females at the beginning of the 21^st century. The study is based on the anthropometric examination of the MSU first-year students carried out in 2000-2019. The Deryabin’s constitutional scheme based on factor analysis was used to investigate temporal variability of different components of body composition. The clear tendency towards macrosomia was revealed in young males and females, as evidenced by increments in the average BMI values, indicators of the general skeletal development, and transversal body development. During the studied period muscle and fat mass had been changing non-linearly. For both sex groups, an increase in the total fat mass was observed with a decrease in the muscular development until the mid-2010s. In recent years there has been a reverse trend towards an increase in muscularity with a simultaneous decline in fat mass. The 21^st century sociocultural standards of a beautiful body (slender and muscular at the same time) could be a possible reason for the observed temporal trends. The results of this research can be used in the studies of the mechanisms of biosocial adaptation in modern populations.

For Citation: Khafizova, A.A. 2021. Beauty Ideals and Temporal Changes in Somatic Characteristics of Modern Youth. Herald of Anthropology (Vestnik Antropologii) 3: 161–182