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August 31, 1964, Vol 189, No. 9 >
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTION | August 31, 1964

Body Build and Obesity— Who Are the Obese?

Carl C. Seltzer, PhD; Jean Mayer, PhD, DSc
[+] Author Affiliations

Boston

Dr. Seltzer is a research associate in physical anthropology, Department of Nutrition, Harvard University School of Public Health and a research associate at the Children's Hospital Medical Center. Dr. Mayer is an associate professor of nutrition, Department of Nutrition, Harvard University School of Public Health and a consultant in nutrition, Children's Hospital Medical Center.


JAMA. 1964;189(9):677-684. doi:10.1001/jama.1964.03070090027008
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References

Although THE importance of genetic and constitutional factors in animal obesities is well-recognized and documented,1 surprisingly little information is available on the role of constitutional factors in human obesities. We need to know whether or not there are people who, under favorable environmental circumstances, are more predisposed than others to the development of obesity by their constitutional make-up and related genetic endowment. Since the expression of obesity is so overtly morphological, any systematic approach to this problem must include a study of the morphological constitution of obese subjects. Among the many questions to be answered are the following: (1) Do obese subjects differ from nonobese in morphological features other than differences in amount of fatty tissue? (2) Does obesity occur among all varieties of physical types? (3) Does obesity occur with greater frequency in some physical types than in others?

The present study attempts, on the basis of data

REFERENCES

1 +
Mayer, J.:  Obesity , Ann Rev Med 14:111, 1963;.
2 +
Hertzberg, H.T.E., et al: Anthropometric Survey of Turkey, Greece and Italy , New York: The Macmillan Company, 1963;.
3 +
Sheldon, W.H.: Atlas of Men , New York: Harper & Brothers, 1954;.
4 +
Damon, A., et al:  Predicting Somatotype From Body Measurements , Amer J Phys Anthrop 20:461, 1962;.
5 +
Sheldon, W.H.; Stevens, S.S.; and Tucker, W.B.: Varieties of Human Physique , New York: Harper & Brothers, 1940;.
6 +
Damon, A., and Goldman, R.F.:  Predicting Fat From Body Measurements: Densitometric Validation of Ten Anthropometric Equations , Hum Biol 36:32, 1964;.
7 +
Tanner, J.M., and Whitehouse, R.H.:  Standards for Subcutaneous Fat in British Children , Brit Med J 155:446, 1962;.
8 +
Tanner, J.M.: Growth at Adolescence , Oxford, England: Blackwell Scientific Publications, 1962;.
9 +
Bayer, L.M., and Bayley, N.: Growth Diagnosis , Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1959;.
10 +
Wetzel, N.C.:  Physical Fitness in Terms of Physique, Development and Basal Metabolism , JAMA 116:1187, 1941;.
11 +
Heath, B.H.; Hopkins, E.E.; and Miller, C.D.:  Physiques of Hawaii-Born Young Men and Women of Japanese Ancestry, Compared With College Men and Women of United States and England , Amer J Phys Anthrop 19:173, 1961;.
12 +
Bullen, A.K., and Hardy, H.L.:  Analysis of Body Build Photographs of 175 College Women , Amer J Phys Anthrop 4:37, 1946;.
13 +
Dupertuis, C.W., et al:  Relation of Specific Gravity to Body Build in Group of Healthy Men , J Appl Physiol 3:676, 1951;.
14 +
Brozek, J.:  Role of Anthropometry in Study of Body Composition , Ann NY Acad Sci 63:491, 1955;.
15 +
Dobzhansky, T.: Mankind Evolving , New Haven, Conn: Yale University Press, 1962;.
16 +
O'Brien, R.; Gershick, M.A.; and Hunt, E.P.: Body Measurement of American Boys and Girls for Garment and Pattern Construction , Miscellaneous publication No. 366, US Dept of Agriculture, 1941;.
17 +
Martin, W.E.: Basic Body Measurements of School Age Children , US Dept Health, Education, and Welfare, 1953;.
18 +
Pariskova, J.:  Development of Subcutaneous Fat in Normal and Obese Children , Physiol Bohemoslov 9:516, 1960;.
19 +
Reynolds, E.L.:  Distribution of Subcutaneous Fat in Childhood and Adolescence , Monogr Soc Res Child Develop 15, 1951;.
20 +
Garn, S.M.:  Comparison of Pinch-Caliper and X-Ray Measurements of Skin Plus Subcutaneous Fat , Science 124: 178, 1956;.
21 +
Angel, J.L.:  Age Changes in Obesity , Hum Biol 32:342, 1960;.
22 +
Stefanik, P.A.; Heald, F.P.; and Mayer, J.:  Caloric Intake in Relation to Energy Output of Obese and Non-Obese Adolescent Boys , Amer J Clin Nutr 7:55, 1959;.
23 +
Dupertuis, C.W., and Emanuel, I.: Statistical Comparison of Body Typing Methods of Hooton and Sheldon , WADC Technical Report 56-366, Wright Air Development Center, US Air Force, Dayton, Ohio, 1956;.
24 +
Heath, B.H.: Unpublished data.
25 +
Brozek, J.: Body Measurements, Including Skinfold Thickness as Indicators of Body Composition. Techniques for Measuring Body Composition , National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council, 1961;.
26 +
Garn, S.M., and Haskell, J.H.:  Fat Thickness and Developmental Status in Childhood and Adolescence , Amer J Dis Child 96:756, 1960;.
27 +
Reynolds, E.L.:  Sexual Maturation and Growth of Fat, Muscle, and Bone in Girls , Child Develop 17:121, 1946;.
28 +
Carpenter, KJ., and Mayer, J.:  Physiologic Observations on Yellow Obesity in Mice , Amer J Physiol 193:449, 1958;.
29 +
Marshall, N.B.; Andrus, S.B.; and Mayer, J.:  Organ Weights in Three Forms of Experimental Obesity in Mouse , Amer J Physiol 189:342, 1957;.
30 +
Wolff, O.H.:  Obesity in Childhood: Study of Birthweight, Height, and Onset of Puberty , Quart J Med 24:109, 1960;.

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Country-Specific Mortality and Growth Failure in Infancy and Yound Children and Association With Material Stature

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1 +
Mayer, J.:  Obesity , Ann Rev Med 14:111, 1963;.
2 +
Hertzberg, H.T.E., et al: Anthropometric Survey of Turkey, Greece and Italy , New York: The Macmillan Company, 1963;.
3 +
Sheldon, W.H.: Atlas of Men , New York: Harper & Brothers, 1954;.
4 +
Damon, A., et al:  Predicting Somatotype From Body Measurements , Amer J Phys Anthrop 20:461, 1962;.
5 +
Sheldon, W.H.; Stevens, S.S.; and Tucker, W.B.: Varieties of Human Physique , New York: Harper & Brothers, 1940;.
6 +
Damon, A., and Goldman, R.F.:  Predicting Fat From Body Measurements: Densitometric Validation of Ten Anthropometric Equations , Hum Biol 36:32, 1964;.
7 +
Tanner, J.M., and Whitehouse, R.H.:  Standards for Subcutaneous Fat in British Children , Brit Med J 155:446, 1962;.
8 +
Tanner, J.M.: Growth at Adolescence , Oxford, England: Blackwell Scientific Publications, 1962;.
9 +
Bayer, L.M., and Bayley, N.: Growth Diagnosis , Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1959;.
10 +
Wetzel, N.C.:  Physical Fitness in Terms of Physique, Development and Basal Metabolism , JAMA 116:1187, 1941;.
11 +
Heath, B.H.; Hopkins, E.E.; and Miller, C.D.:  Physiques of Hawaii-Born Young Men and Women of Japanese Ancestry, Compared With College Men and Women of United States and England , Amer J Phys Anthrop 19:173, 1961;.
12 +
Bullen, A.K., and Hardy, H.L.:  Analysis of Body Build Photographs of 175 College Women , Amer J Phys Anthrop 4:37, 1946;.
13 +
Dupertuis, C.W., et al:  Relation of Specific Gravity to Body Build in Group of Healthy Men , J Appl Physiol 3:676, 1951;.
14 +
Brozek, J.:  Role of Anthropometry in Study of Body Composition , Ann NY Acad Sci 63:491, 1955;.
15 +
Dobzhansky, T.: Mankind Evolving , New Haven, Conn: Yale University Press, 1962;.
16 +
O'Brien, R.; Gershick, M.A.; and Hunt, E.P.: Body Measurement of American Boys and Girls for Garment and Pattern Construction , Miscellaneous publication No. 366, US Dept of Agriculture, 1941;.
17 +
Martin, W.E.: Basic Body Measurements of School Age Children , US Dept Health, Education, and Welfare, 1953;.
18 +
Pariskova, J.:  Development of Subcutaneous Fat in Normal and Obese Children , Physiol Bohemoslov 9:516, 1960;.
19 +
Reynolds, E.L.:  Distribution of Subcutaneous Fat in Childhood and Adolescence , Monogr Soc Res Child Develop 15, 1951;.
20 +
Garn, S.M.:  Comparison of Pinch-Caliper and X-Ray Measurements of Skin Plus Subcutaneous Fat , Science 124: 178, 1956;.
21 +
Angel, J.L.:  Age Changes in Obesity , Hum Biol 32:342, 1960;.
22 +
Stefanik, P.A.; Heald, F.P.; and Mayer, J.:  Caloric Intake in Relation to Energy Output of Obese and Non-Obese Adolescent Boys , Amer J Clin Nutr 7:55, 1959;.
23 +
Dupertuis, C.W., and Emanuel, I.: Statistical Comparison of Body Typing Methods of Hooton and Sheldon , WADC Technical Report 56-366, Wright Air Development Center, US Air Force, Dayton, Ohio, 1956;.
24 +
Heath, B.H.: Unpublished data.
25 +
Brozek, J.: Body Measurements, Including Skinfold Thickness as Indicators of Body Composition. Techniques for Measuring Body Composition , National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council, 1961;.
26 +
Garn, S.M., and Haskell, J.H.:  Fat Thickness and Developmental Status in Childhood and Adolescence , Amer J Dis Child 96:756, 1960;.
27 +
Reynolds, E.L.:  Sexual Maturation and Growth of Fat, Muscle, and Bone in Girls , Child Develop 17:121, 1946;.
28 +
Carpenter, KJ., and Mayer, J.:  Physiologic Observations on Yellow Obesity in Mice , Amer J Physiol 193:449, 1958;.
29 +
Marshall, N.B.; Andrus, S.B.; and Mayer, J.:  Organ Weights in Three Forms of Experimental Obesity in Mouse , Amer J Physiol 189:342, 1957;.
30 +
Wolff, O.H.:  Obesity in Childhood: Study of Birthweight, Height, and Onset of Puberty , Quart J Med 24:109, 1960;.

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