Foot length in male and female children and youth from Tuzla area (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Abstract

For this research, sample was randomly selected and stratified by sex, age, geographic distance (measured in kilometers of overhead lines), the place of birth of parents and their children. Elements for the analysis of the main problems of spatial- geographic movements of genetic material, were found in a sample of 2559 respondents (1231 boys and 1328 girls) belonging to nine successive school age generations from 11-19 years. Foot in children changes the shape and proportions in the different stages of growth and development. Data for the length of the foot indicate that there is a trend of increments of foot length in male and female children and adolescents from Tuzla area. Average values of examined traits vary from year 11 to 19 in the range 12,5 cm in boys and 12,3 cm in girls. The largest relative foot length increase with boys 2,73% was recorded at the age between 15 and 16, and in females between 12 and 13 was 3.38%. Number of respondents with boys and girls in the category of zero-distance '0' is much higher than in other categories, and is quite difficult to make any reliable conclusion. However, the offspring born in places away from the homeland of their parents is more robust for the observed parameter.

Keywords

• foot length
• geographic distance
• growth and development