BODY HEIGHT AND WEIGHT AND NUTRITIONAL STATUS IN ADULT POPULATION OF NORTHWEST BAÅKA AND CENTRAL BANAT

ABSTRACT: Body height and weight are influenced by interaction of genetic and environmental factors but also depend upon the ethnic and socio-cultural characteristics of populations. The aim of the study is to determine the height, weight and nutritional status of adult population of Vojvodina, as well as to establish similarities and differences among various ethnic groups, i.e. the natives of Vojvodina and newcomers from different parts of former Yugoslavia. The investigation was conducted in 10 rural settlements of northwest Baåka and cen-tral Banat. The investigation included 608 males (mean age 41.34 11.49) and 768 females (mean age 41.85 10.64). Data processing included standard statistical methods, while t-test was employed for testing differences among groups. In relation to ethnic group belon-ging, the analysis included Serbs, Hungarians and Montenegrins, while natives and new-comers from Bosnia and Herzegovina were analysed in relation to the native land origin. The subjects of both sexes from central Banat have greater height than the subjects from northwest Baåka. Hungarians of both sexes exhibit lower body height in compariso