Association between somatotypes and blood pressure in an adult Chuvasha population

Background: The relationship between blood pressure (BP) and anthropometrical characteristics has been indeed examined extensively, but only a few studies have investigated any connection of somatotypes to BP. Aims: to evaluate the association between BP and various anthropometrical characteristics, including components of somatotypes (using the methods of Heath and Carter and of Deriabin). Subjects and methods: The study sample comprised 783 males aged 18-89 years and 720 females aged 18-90 years, all residents of the Chuvasha, Russian Federation. We used multiple regression, Pearson's and canonical correlation analyses. Results: Significant correlations (r = 0.19-0.28, p < 0.05) were obtained between BP and anthropometric characteristics associated with body compositions and somatotypes. The most impressive were the canonical correlations between BP and somatotype components derived according to Heath and Carter (0.275), and according to Deriabin's (0.333) method. Different body types were highly significantly (P < 0.001) associated with systolic and diastolic BP. Conclusion: Individuals of robust physique (with high endomorphy and mesomorphy) showed high mean values of systolic and diastolic BP, whereas the smallest persons had the lowest BP values. These findings suggest the existence of common physiological paths in the development of body physique and blood pressure regulation and may possibly be indicative of the involvement of pleiotropic genetic and/or epigenetic mechanisms in this regulation.