Anthropological characteristics of Bulgarian newborns

The aim of the study was to assess the specificity of newborns' physical development in Bulgaria at the beginning of the 21st Century. A detailed anthropological research of 219 healthy and full-term newborns (110 boys and 109 girls) was carried out during April-May 2001. In the present study, data about stature, body weight and six standard skinfolds on the body and extremities are analyzed. The relative share of each skinfold regarding the sum of the six studied skinfolds was used to characterize the topical distribution of subcutaneous fat tissue. The sexual differences in the features investigated and their secular changes were evaluated. The results show that even at birth, sexual dimorphism exists in the basic anthropometrical characteristics. Newborn boys were longer and heavier than newborn girls. Girls had thicker skinfolds than boys and a greater relative share of subcutaneous fat tissue on the back and the lower extremities, whereas boys had a greater relative share on the abdomen and the upper extremities. Compared with newborns from past generations, newborns here from both genders had lower mean values of the basic anthropometrical characteristics.