Sex differences in anthropometric characteristics and their clinical significance

Abstract

Sex differences in anthropometric characteristics are an important aspect of medical anthropology and clinical practice, as they can affect the development, diagnosis and treatment of various diseases. The difference in body parameters between men and women is important not only for general physiology, but also for assessing the risks of developing cardiometabolic, orthopedic, oncological and other pathologies. Taking such differences into account in clinical medicine can contribute to a personalized approach to the treatment and prevention of diseases, which makes research on this topic particularly relevant. The purpose of this review article is to analyze and summarize current scientific data on sex differences in human anthropometric characteristics, as well as to assess their clinical significance in various medical areas, including cardiology, endocrinology, orthopedics and sports medicine. For the review, a search for scientific publications was carried out in the Google Scholar, Scopus databases. 45 relevant sources were selected, from which, after analysis according to the criterion of antiquity, 21 publications were selected that contain the most relevant and up-to-date information on the topic of the article. The results obtained indicate significant differences between men and women in body parameters, in particular in the size of bone structures, the distribution of adipose and muscle tissue, limb proportions and growth characteristics at different ages. These differences can have a direct impact on the development of cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders and musculoskeletal disorders. In addition, sex differences in anthropometric characteristics can affect the pharmacokinetics of drugs, which needs to be taken into account when prescribing therapy. In general, the analysis of the literature confirms the need to take into account sex anthropometric differences in clinical practice to improve diagnostic approaches, develop effective preventive measures and personalize treatment.