Sibling similarities in somatotype

Abstract

The present study aim to analyze the similarity in somatotype. The sample comprised 366 sibling pairs of both sex, with 10 to 18 years of age. Height, weight, triceps, subscapular, supraspinale, and median calf skinfolds, biepcondylar of the humerus and femur, upper arm girth, elbow flexed and tensed, calf girth were measured and somatotype was calculated according of the Heath-Carter method. Pearson correlation was used to analyze the sibling similarities in each somatotype component. Canonical correlation was used to analyze sibling similarities in somatotype as a tridimensional unity, calculated in software SYSTAT 11.0. The main results were: (1) in sisters the correlations are higher in endomorphy (r=0,46) and ectomorphy (r=0,40); (2) in brothers the highest correlation was in ectomorphy component (r=0,44); (3) in mesomorphy the correlation values are moderate both in brothers and sisters. (4) In sibling pairs of opposite sex, the correlation values are low in all three components (0,07 to 0,27); (5) The results of canonical correlation showed a higher similarity in brothers (Rc=0,51) than in the others sibling pairs. In general the correlation between siblings suggests a moderate similarity in somatotype.