Characterization of the somatotype of university students

Abstract

The objective of this research was to characterize the somatotype of university students who enter Physical Education Pedagogy at the University of La Frontera. The sample was made up of 42 men and 21 women. The Heath & Carter somatotype was used concluding that in women the somatotype is meso-endomorphic, being the first component the dominant one. According to age, the endomorphy reveals at the ages of 18 / 19 higher levels of relative adiposity; mesomorphy shows low development of the skeletal muscle at the ages of 18 and 20; and the ectomorphy a great volume by unit of height, but at the age of 20. For men, it is of a mesomorphy endomorphie type, since the first and second component do not vary in more than 0,5. According to age, endomorphy represents a moderate development of relative adiposity; mesomorphy a low development of the skeletal muscle at 17 and 23; and ectomorphy a great volume by unit of height, but at 19 and 20 years.