[Chief factors in the system of women's physical dimensions]

Abstract

The investigation has been performed in 670 young (18--20 years-old) Estonian women. They are healthy students from Tartu University having a normal menstrual cycle, or with some slight deviations in it. In every woman 56 body dimensions, including the external obstetric pelvic ones, are analysed. The measurement technique in general corresponds to the classical techniques suggested by V. V. Bunak (1941) and R. Martin (1928). The linear correlation matrix of the body dimensions statistically significant positive correlations have been revealed between all the signs studied, the body mass and length possessing, the highest correlations. When the influence of the body mass and length is eliminated, the usual correlative correlation system is destroyed. Instead of the previous system, where all the signs are statistically positively significantly connected, the only connections remain that include 46% of negative connections and 30% of statistically significant, but very weak connections (the critical value r-0,088). The factor matrix is calculated on the base of the correlation matrix by means of the main components method. For its rotation the so called method of varimax is used. Three, five and seven factors are rotated (the parts of the initial signs in the total variance are 56, 65, 72%, respectively). The factor analysis also supports the main role of the body mass and length. When the number of the factors and described by them the part of the total variance increases, only some peculiar factors connected with subsystems are added. The factor analysis demonstrates that, besides the body mass and length, there are no other equally important body dimensions which could be used for description of the woman's body structure.