STATIC ANTHROPOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS OF 12-15 AGED STUDENTS LIVING IN ANKARA/TURKEY

Doç. Dr. Erol BURDURLU Doç. Dr. İlker USTA Arş. Gör. A. Cemil İLÇE Arş. Gör. Suat ALTUN Arş. Gör. G. Cankız ELİBOL

ABSTRACT

This study examined the anthropometric characteristics of a total of 668 Turkish students (336 girls

and 332 boys) within the 12-15 year group. To determine the anthropometric characteristics of

individuals within this age group a total of 23 measurements were made on the right hand side of each

individual. 5 measurements were taken at the standing posture and 18 measurements were taken at the

sitting posture. The results obtained were subjected to statistical analysis and presented in table form

as the average, standard deviation, 5th and 95th percentile values according to age and gender.

Key Words: Anthropometry, youth, ergonomics.

ANKARA’DA YAŞAYAN 12 – 15 YAŞ GRUBUNDAKİ ÖĞRENCİLERİN STATİK ANTROPOMETRİK ÖZELLİKLERİ

ÖZET

Bu çalışmada, 12 – 15 yaş grubunda yer alan 336 k z 332 erkek olmak üzere toplam 668 Türk ›

öğrencinin antropometrik özellikleri araştırılmıştır. Bu yaş grubuna ait bireylerin antropometrik

özelliklerinin belirlenmesinde, 5 adedi ayakta ve 18 adedi oturma pozisyonunda olmak üzere, sağ

taraftan 23 adet ölçü alınmıştır. Elde edilen değerler, istatistiksel analize tabi tutulmuş; ortalamalar,

standart sapma, %5’lik ve %95’lik değerler yaş ve cinsiyete göre belirlenmiştir.

Anahtar Kelimeler: Antropometri, genç, ergonomi.

1. INTRODUCTION AND LITERATURE REVIEW

Whilst human does necessary actions for working, continuing their daily life, and meeting their social and cultural needs they should be able to use their body skills to the maximum in a physically comfortable manner. This is however only possible when the tools and equipment, machinery, decoration units, counters, spaces, etc. are appropriate to the body measures. Otherwise, an inappropriate work and utility conditions arises. This in turn leads to a physical and mental stress that occurs in the people engaged in the operation.

The body measures of individuals vary with factors like age, gender, nutritional status, genetic structure etc. For this reason, in designing, it is necessary to consider the differences in the body measures and adjust the product sizes accordingly. In designing a product it is necessary to make the measurements of the product based on the measurements taken statistically with measurements of the individuals for whom the product is designed. These measures could be the upper, average or lower values of the anthropometrical findings. For example, in the design of products of general circulation like passages and doors whereas the statistical upper values are used, for products like control panels or handles of machines the lower values are used, and for shelf heights, table surfaces and sitting surfaces average values are used to determine the height. Nonetheless, there is a group not satisfied with this size approach. This problem can be overcome by the policies of ‘Product variation’ and ‘Size adjustment in Products’.

Due to the fact that today’s marketing efforts is based on the concept of ‘Customer Orientation’

more studies are carried throughout the world on ‘the suitability of size in products’ and ‘the anthropometrical characteristics of individuals’. Examples of some of these studies are shown below:

In the Turkey the first such comprehensive anthropometric study is the “Turkey Survey”

conducted by the Public Statistics Directorate (DIE). This study was conducted on 64,000 individual adults spreading across 10 regions in 1937. In the study, the static anthropometric characteristics of the Turkish society like stature, eye height, sitting height, arm span and weight (DIE, 1937). Hertzberg (1965) investigated the anthropometric measurements of Turkish, Greek and Italian individuals comparatively. Özok (1978) analysed the exchanges in anthropometric measures of individuals among various age groups in his study. Sabanc (1981) conducted a study on the ergonomic qualities of ›agricultural tractors whilst Bay k (1992) in addition to the ergonomic conditions like the possible noise ›and weather conditions also studied the anthropometry of the operator seat. Su (1985) with the help of 25 anthropometric measurements taken on 2000 Turkish soldiers conducted a study to determine the standards in making military uniforms. Taking 15 measurements on 3584 pupils aged 6-13 years, Kayış (1986) conducted a study to determine the anthropometric data. This study was later revised and turned into a database for the designing of classroom furniture by Kayış (1987) and Kayış and Özok (1991). Joeng and Park (1990) used anthropometric data to demonstrate the effect of gender differences in the designing of classroom furniture. Steenbekkers and Molenbroek (1990) conducted studies to determine the anthropometric data in children. In Duyar’s study (1992), changes in some anthropometric measures of 1200 students aged 12 – 17 and selected from 7 provinces representing Turkey’s 7 geographic regions were analysed. In order to determine the anthropometric characteristics of university girl students Gönen and Kal nkara (1993) took 20 anthropometric measurements of 204 ›students and the results were used as a data base for designing and planning for the ready-made wear industry and places like school, library, laboratory, theatre, conference halls. In another study comparing the static anthropometric values of Turks residing in Germany and German men, and German, Italian, Turkish and Yugoslav women significant differences between the nationalities were found (Erkan, 1995). Ray et al. (1995) aimed at determining the anthropometric characteristics of the 3-5 year-old Indian children in their study on 198 students where 81 anthropometric measurements were made. Mououdi and Choobineh (1997) took 17 static anthropometric measures on 1758 boys and girls aged 6-11 years in the province of Mazandaran served as the source of light for the classroom furniture design based on ergonomic principles. Mououdi (1997) took 28 anthropometric measurements of 179 students of both sexes at the University of Tehran (Iran) to determine the static anthropometric characteristics of the students. Akın and Sağır (1998) investigated the anthropometric suitability of 245 primary school girls aged 9-10 years by taking measurements in 14 dimensions. Lilia et al. (2001) used data collected from 4758 boys and girls between the ages of 6 and 11 in the Mexican city of Guadalajara in an attempt to determine the anthropometric characteristics of primary school children in Mexico. They compared the results obtained with that of earlier results from Mexican studies, American and Cuban children in order to determine any ethnic differences as well as the changes with time.

The purpose of this study is to determine the anthropometric characteristics of 12-15 year-old

students attending high schools in Ankara/Turkey. The data obtained by this study will be used for

determining optimal measures of the classroom furniture such as desk, chair, writing board and clothes hanger in the future with the exception of this study.

2. MATERIALS AND METHODS

The data to be used for determination of the anthropometrical characteristics of the 12-15 year-old students was obtained from students attending 12 schools (Primary Schools of Ahmet Vefik Pasa, Ozel Bilkent, Emlak Bankası Bilkent, Namık Kemal, Necdet Seckinöz, Noterler Birliği, and Sarar. High Schools of Atatürk, Ozel Bilkent, Incesu Anadolu, Incesu and TED Ankara College) representing different levels of income, within the central districts of Cankaya and Yenimahalle in Ankara. The method of random sampling was used in selection of the students. According to this method a total of 668 children without physical handicap made up of 332 boys (87 boys at the age of 12, 74 boys at the age of 13, 99 boys at the age of 14, and 69 boys at the age of 15) and 336 girls (90 girls at the age of 12, 80 girls at the age of 13, 98 girls at the age of 14, and 68 girls at the age of 15) were enrolled into the study. a total of 23 measurements (5 measurements at the standing posture (Figure 1), and 18 measurements at the sitting posture (Figure 2)) were taken with an accuracy of 1.0 mm from the right hand side. The determination of the individual postures, definition of the anthropometric parameters, and the taking of measurements were done in accordance with the standard procedure defined by Hertzberg (1968), and Panero and Zelnik (1979). In this study, some measurements like weight, BMI (Body Mass Index), arm span, arm circumference were not made, as the measurements taken will soon be used in furniture dimensions.

The measurements were made with the children in minimum clothing and barefooted. Measurements at the sitting posture were made with seats of adjustable heights. Measurements were made by four researchers in year 2003, with two different sized (large and small) anthropometers, a portable free-standing stadiometer and a calliper.

3. FINDINGS and DATA ANALYSES

Within the confines of the principles outlined in the methods section data from the 23 different anthropometric measurements from 668 individuals are shown in Table 1 as the average and standard deviation values according to age and gender. Also the 5th and 95th percentile values for the same data are given in Table 2.

In determination of the changes in anthropometric values due to stature, regression analysis was

made and prediction equations were defined (Table 3). In order to find the relation between two variables due to stature, correlation coefficients (R2) were determined and given in a separate column (Table 3).

As is known, (R2) is a value that shows the level of correlation between two variables. When this

value goes near +1, a positively affecting correlation exists, and when it draws near –1, a negatively affecting correlation exists. If this value is 0, no relation exists. As can be seen in Table 3, every measurement is positively affected by stature in different degrees. That means, as the stature value increases, each measurement increases more or less. The degree of increment here is related with R2 value. Considering this, the strongest relation appears between stature and eye height of boys aged 14 (R2=0.987). This value is followed by the relation between stature and eye heights of 12 year old girls and boys respectively (R2=0.983 and R2=0.980). The relation between stature and elbow rest height of 14 year old girls is the weakest of all (R2=0.011). Other two measurements that are weakly

related with stature are the foot length of 12 year old boys and the acromion height (sitting) of 14 year old girls respectively (R2=0.111 and R2=0.142). That means, the increment in stature is relatively less effective in these measurements.

4. CONCLUSION

The results of the study conducted to determine the individual body measures of the 12-15 year-old boys and girls are collectively shown in (Table 1) and (Table 2). As can be seen from a look at the tables, in the lowers years, with a stepwise increase in age the body size increases much more than is seen in the more advanced ages. The reason for this decrease is related to their transition into the adolescence. With the transition to adolescence there is a rapid increase in the body size which subsequently falls with time.

Another important point is the fact that girls have much larger sizes in all the age groups. At

much later ages there seem to be an increase in favour of boys. The reason for this fact is that some girls enter the adolescence period at much earlier ages than boys. This result is in conformity with that of Leon’s ‘Anthropometric Study of Mexican Primary School children’ (2001). In this study which aimed to determine the anthropometric characteristics of the 6-11 year-old individuals the sizes of boys were found to be bigger than those of girls in the early age groups whereas in the later years those of girls got bigger than those of boys.

The common measurements of 12-15 year old children, such as stature, shoulder breadth, chest

depth, hip breadth and hip breadth (sitting) in Duyar’s study (1992), were compared with the ones determined in this study. The measurement values in this study were found to be relatively higher. The reason for this was thought to be the improvement in life conditions, related with the improving financial status.

Measure differences between children of the same age and different age groups are an important

problem in the designing of products. Any product that is designed for any particular body size or age group may become inappropriate with a change in body size. This leads to discomfort in the individuals using the product and hence a reduction in the efficiency of the product to meet its objective. For the changes in body size of an individual to be tolerable in addition to all possible conditions, the provision size adjustment properties in the product.

These data derived from the 12-15 year-old school children can be used as measures in the

design and planning of school furniture and uniforms. For example, measures like the area per person in the classroom, desk height and height of the writing board could be determined based on these results. To reflect the variation in the size of children in designing, they can be grouped according to the age and so products appropriate for all age groups could be specified. This application though leads to an increase in the cost of production it is imperative from the viewpoint of increasing the functional comfort of the product. Products aimed at sitting and study surfaces, having a height adjustable function is an added advantage. Also, the data derived from this study can be used as basic data in standardising products used by this age group and as well as making provision for appropriate free space between equipment for their use. Our studies on adapting the measures obtained with this study to school furniture design are still in progress.

REFERENCES

Akın, G., Sağır, M. 1998, Anthropometric Data for Ergonomic Desk Design For Primary Schools, 6th

Ergonomics Congress, MPM Publication, No:622, 68-78, (In Turkish)

Bay k, A. 1992, An Anthropometric Approach For Determinatio› n of Working Areas, Unpublished

MSc. thesis, Anadolu University, Eskişehir, (In Turkish).

DIE 1937, Anthropometry Survey For Turkish Adults, Public Statistics Directorate, Publication No.

151, Ankara, (In Turkish).

Duyar, I.,1992, Growth Standarts of 12-17 Aged Turkish Students, Hacettepe University Instute of

Social Science, PhD. Thesis, Ankara/Turkey.

Erkan, N. 1995, Ergonomics, MPM Publication, No:373, Ankara (In Turkish)

Gönen, E., Kal nkara, V. 1993,› Analysis Of Anthropometric Characteristics of the Female students

Going on University Education, 4th Ergonomics Congress, MPM Publications, No:509, 93-

106 (In Turkish).

Hertzberg, H.T.E. 1968, The Conference on Standardization of Anthropometric Techniques and

Terminology, American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 28, 1-15.

Joeng, B.Y., Park, K.S. 1990, Sex Difference in Anthropometry for School Furniture Design,

Ergonomics, 33, 1511-1521.

Kayış, B. 1986, An anthropometry survey on Turkish primary school children, h128, The Scientific

and Technical Research Council of Turkey, Ankara.

Kayış, B. 1987, Using of the anthropometric Data in Ergonomic Designing of Primary School

Buildings, a67, The Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey, Ankara (In

Turkish).

Kayış, B., Özok, A.F. 1991, Anthropometry Survey Among Turkish Primary School Children, Applied

Ergonomics, 22, 55-56.

Lilia R. Prado-Leon, Rosalio Avila-Chaurand, Elvia L. Gonzalez-Munoz 2001, Anthropometric Study

of Mexican Primary School Children, Applied Ergonomics, 32, 339-345.

Mououdi, M.A., Choobineh, A.R. 1997, Static Anthropometric Characteristics of Students Age Range

6-11 in Mazandaran Province/Iran and School Furniture Design Based on Ergonomics

Principles, Applied Ergonomics, 28, 145-147.

Mououdi, M.A. 1997, Static Anthropometric Characteristics of Tehran University Students Age 20-30,

Applied Ergonomics, 28, 149-150.

Özok, A. 1978, A Study on Turkish Industrial Workers, The Scientific and Technical Research

Council of Turkey, No. 88, Ankara (In Turkish).

Panero, J., Zelnik, M. 1979, Human Dimensions in the Interior Space, (The Architectural Press Ltd.

London)

Ray, G.G., Ghosh, S., Atreya, V. 1995, An Anthropometric Survey of Indian School Children Aged 3

– 5 years, Applied Ergonomics, 26, 67-72.

Sabanc , A. 1981, A Study on› Ergonomic Characteristics of Agricultural Tractors, Ph.D. Thesis,

Turkish Agricultural Equipment Association, Agricultural Machines Research Institute,

Publication No. 1, Ankara (In Turkish).

Steenbekkers, L.P.A., Molenbroek, J.F.M. 1990, Anthropometric Data of Children for Non-specialist

Users. Ergonomics, 33 (4), 421-429.

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İzmir, (In Turkish).

Figures and Tables

Figure 1. Measurements taken at the standing posture

Figure 2. Measurements taken at the sitting posture

Table 1. Mean and Standard Deviation (S.D.) values (dimensions in cm)

Table 2. Percentile values of the anthropometric measures (dimensions in mm)

Table 3. Prediction equations and Coefficients of Determination, All ages and p ≤ 0.000 - 0.009

Figure 1. Measurements taken at the standing posture

Figure 2. Measurements taken at the sitting posture

Table 1. Mean and Standard Deviation (S.D.) values (dimensions in cm) Girls Boys

No Measurement Age Mean S.D. Mean S.D.

1 Stature 12 150.4 6.5 154.7 7. 13 159.1 8.3 161.1 5.5 14 167.1 8.1 164.1 5.9 15 174.9 7.1 166.7 5.7 2 Eye height 12 140.2 6.3 144.2 8.0 13 148.7 8.0 150.5 5.5 14 156.7 8.0 153.4 6.0 15 164.3 7.0 156.4 5.7 3 Eye height (sitting) 12 65.7 3.6 67.4 4.7 13 67.4 5.3 71.3 3.5 14 72.8 4.6 72.8 4.2 15 75.1 4.1 73.1 3.2 4 Sitting height 12 76.9 3.6 77.6 4.5 13 79.0 5.2 81.7 3.3 14 83.9 4.2 83.6 4.0 15 85.8 4.2 82.9 3.0 5 Shoulder breadth 12 35.9 3.0 36.4 2.7 13 38.0 3.2 37.4 2.5 14 39.4 2.5 37.4 1.9 15 42.0 2.5 38.2 2.6 6 Chest depth 12 16.3 2.8 17.6 2.5 13 16.4 1.9 19.5 2.4 14 18.3 2.1 20.1 2.1 15 18.1 2.1 21.3 2.2 7 Hip breadth 12 28.9 3.0 29.3 2.5 13 29.3 2.4 30.9 2.6 14 31.4 3.0 31.4 2.0 15 32.7 2.5 32.2 2.0 8 Hip breadth (sitting) 12 30.5 3.3 31.1 2.9 13 30.6 2.6 32.6 2.8 14 33.2 3.3 33.8 2.4 15 34.3 2.9 34.0 2.2 9 Acromion height (sitting) 12 49.1 3.6 51.5 3.9 13 50.9 3.3 53.6 3.4 14 54.8 4.6 54.7 3.2 15 54.5 3.3 55.3 3.3 10 Shoulder - Elbow lenght 12 30.2 1.7 30.7 2.3 13 32.2 2.2 32.6 1.9 14 33.7 2.5 33.0 1.8 15 35.0 2.3 34.0 2.0 11 Elbow - Hand lenght 12 38.4 2.4 39.8 3.1 13 42.0 2.8 41.7 2.0 14 43.9 2.8 42.8 2.1 15 46.3 2.4 43.7 2.0 12 Max. Horizontal reach 12 64.7 4.8 67.2 4.4 13 67.7 4.4 69.4 4.7 14 72.5 5.4 72.0 3.5 15 74.9 3.9 72.7 3.6 13 Elbow rest height 12 18.9 3.1 20.9 3.1 13 18.7 2.1 21.0 2.5 14 21.0 2.9 21.7 2.9 15 19.4 2.1 21.2 2.2 14 Buttock - Knee lenght 12 48.8 3.7 49.9 4.0 13 52.8 4.0 50.5 2.9 14 53.9 4.5 52.5 3.6 15 60.5 4.0 53.8 3.5 15 Buttock - Popliteal lenght 12 40.1 3.4 41.1 3.9 13 44.1 4.0 42.4 2.8 14 44.2 3.5 43.3 3.4 15 48.6 3.3 44.3 3.3

16 Foot lenght 12 24.2 1.8 23.4 1.3 13 24.5 1.4 23.5 1.0 14 26.2 1.9 24.1 1.2 15 27.3 0.8 25.2 0.9 17 Direct thigh lenght 12 36.5 2.8 36.3 2.4 13 37.7 2.8 36.7 2.7 14 39.9 3.9 37.9 2.6 15 42.7 2.9 38.2 3.0 18 Knee height 12 49.9 2.8 50.4 3.3 13 52.7 3.3 52.2 2.4 14 55.7 3.1 53.5 2.4 15 57.0 2.8 54.1 2.4 19 Popliteal height 12 42.1 2.2 41.4 3.1 13 43.6 2.3 42.8 2.8 14 45.2 2.4 43.9 2.4 15 46.3 2.2 44.6 2.2 20 Elbow - Center of hand lenght 12 28.1 2.5 28.7 2.5 13 29.5 2.5 29.3 2.0 14 32.1 2.6 30.1 2.0 15 33.2 1.9 30.3 1.9 21 Elbow - Elbow breath 12 36.1 4.3 36.3 2.9 13 37.7 4.4 38.5 2.8 14 40.2 4.0 38.5 3.0 15 41.2 4.8 38.6 2.6 22 Thigh clearance height 12 11.4 2.1 10.2 1.7 13 12.5 2.1 11.2 1.4 14 14.2 2.4 11.9 1.7 15 14.1 2.1 11.5 1.6 23 Knee - Knee breadth 12 27.5 5.3 18.6 3.3 13 28.6 6.1 19.5 4.6 14 33.6 5.9 19.9 3.8 15 36.1 7.2 18.6 3.4

Table 2. Percentile values of the anthropometric measures (dimensions in mm)

Table 2. continued (dimensions in mm)

Table 3. Prediction equations and Coefficient of Determination

All ages and p ≤ 0.000 - 0.009