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In 1991, somatometric investigation of oligophrenics living in specialized nursing homes in Western Hungary was carried out by the authors. Focusing on the most important body measurements, we repeated the study 20 years later in order to observe the changes in the body measurements of the mentally retarded groomed in the nursing home. The proportionality (z-score) was analyzed by comparing to the corresponding values of the UHP. The favourable changes in the body proportion are due to the following environmental factors: 1. general inference of the social changes after 1989, 2. healthier nutrition through employing dietetic professionals in the nursing home, 3. physical training programmes through employing curative gymnastics professionals in the institute, 4. adequate medication; replacing older drugs, frequently causing obesity as a side effect, with the new generation ones.

The purpose of this study was to get new data about the physique (somatotype) of manic-depressive patients. The somatotypes of manic-depressive females (n = 31, mean age: 30 year) investigated show a balanced mesomorphic-endomorphic predominance. The mean somatotype was 6.34, 5.27, 1.39. Previous Hungarian studies showed a meso-endomorphic somatotype in manic-depressive females. The physique of these patients determined by Kretschmer as pycnic did not show significant alteration due to environmental changes. Thus, according to the recent study, Kretschmer's statements (1921) are still valid in manic-depressive females. They are invariably characterized by a pycnic physique.

Growth and maturation of children is a dynamic and complex biological process, influenced both by genetic and environmental factors. Children’s growth pattern can change from time to time; therefore, it is necessary to investigate the state of children’s somatic development repeatedly. According to a widely accepted and scientifically proven theory, children’s growth and maturation status is a fine indicator of the nutritional and health conditions of the general population. In other words, information about growth and development of children and youth mirrors the biological status and/or welfare of a population. The “Körmend Growth Study”, a chain of repeated cross-sectional growth studies performed on children in the town of Körmend (Hungary) was one of the first realizations of this principle. Anthropological investigations have been performed in Körmend in every 10 years since 1958 in a systematic way. The data are prepared from groups of 1563 to 2867 boys in Körmend, between 19...

On June 9, 2013, a legend, a maverick, a great scientist, an exceptional human being, highly esteemed author of Folia Anthropologica left us. Many of us, just like his close associates, also lost a dynamo, an inspiration, and a truly great paternal friend. He will be remembered for founding the fields of chronobiology, chronomics and chronobioethics. His accomplishments are summarized in his over 3,400 scientific publications. Some of our Editorial Board, just like many worldwide indeed call him their mentor and turned to him for advice, from study design and data analysis to the interpretation of results in the time dimension. His close colleagues called him Father Time, and colleagues in Russia and Azerbaijan honored him as Lord of Time. Franz coined the term circadian, after documenting that biologic rhythms tip the scale between health and disease and even between life and death. He went on to demonstrate that many other built-in cycles resonate in part with their counterparts i...

Remains of two children from the Neolithic Age dug up in Hungary (Central Europe) were studied using the methods of paleopathology. Children died in the same age. Since scaphocephaly and histiocytosis X (probably Hand-Schüller-Christian Syndrome) could be proved in both children, we presume that they were twins.

Quantitative and qualitative inadequacy of sleep is a major risk factor for obesity. Sleep deprivation has been hypothesized to contribute toward obesity by decreasing leptin, increasing ghrelin, and compromising insulin sensitivity. Apart from shorter sleep duration, fragmented sleep, too, seems to be a risk factor for overweight. Besides a substantial genetic contribution to sleep disruption, marked sleep fragmentation can also be brought about by some sleep disorders. Sleep fragmentation is hypothesized to be the major link between obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and obesity. Although restless legs syndrome is as common cause of sleep disruption as obstructive snoring, not much data on its potential correlation with obesity has been published yet. The authors present the data of 26 Hungarian young adult males suffering from restless legs at least 3 nights a week. Body fat percentage using hand-to-hand bioelectrical impedance analysis and body mass index were determined. The mean...

Growth and maturation of children is a dynamic and complex biological process, influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Children's growth pattern can change from time to time, therefore, it is necessary to investigate the state of children's somatic development repeatedly. According to a widely accepted and scientifically proven theory, children's growth and maturation status is a sensible indicator of the nutritional and health conditions of the general population. Thus, information about growth and development of children and youth mirrors the biological status and/or welfare of a population. The "Körmend Growth Study", a chain of repeated cross-sectional growth studies performed on children in the town of Körmend (Hungary) was one of the first realizations of this principle. Anthropological investigations have been performed in Körmend in every 10 years since 1958 in a systematic way. The data are prepared from groups of 1563 to 2867 boys in Körmend, between 1958 and 2008 at 10-year intervals. Body Mass Index (BMI) was introduced into the human biology practice for the statistical evaluation of nutritional status according to the suggestions of Keys and coworkers. Comparing distinct ten-year intervals from 1958 to 2008, a characteristic tendency of BMI can be observed in boys.

The purpose of this study was to get new data about the physique (somatotype) of manic-depressive patients. The somatotypes of manic-depressive females (n=31, mean age: 30 year) investigated show a balanced mesomorphic-endomorphic predominance. The mean somatotype was 6.34, 5.27, 1.39. Previous Hungarian studies showed a mesoendomorphic somatotype in manic-depressive females. The physique of these patients determined by Kretschmer as pycnic did not show significant alteration due to environmental changes. Thus, according to the recent study, Kretschmer's statements (1921) are still valid in manic-depressive females. They are invariably characterized by a pycnic physique.

Growth and maturation of children is a dynamic and complex biological process, influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Children’s growth pattern can change from time to time, therefore, it is necessary to investigate the state of children’s somatic development repeatedly. According to a widely accepted and scientifically proven theory, the children’s growth and maturation status is a sensible indicator of the nutritional and health conditions of the general population. Thus, the information about the growth and the development of children and youth mirrors the biological status and/or welfare of a population. The “Körmend Growth Study”, a chain of repeated cross-sectional growth studies performed on children in the town of Körmend (Hungary) was one of the first realizations of this principle. Anthropological investigations have been performed in Körmend in every 10 years since 1958 in a systematic way. The data are prepared from groups of 1,563 to 2,867 boys in Körmend...

In 1958, a series of tests repeated every ten years, which is unique worldwide, was launched in Körmend, with the primary goal of assessing more than 20 different body size characteristics, constitution, and development of healthy children aged 3–18. The secular trend phenomenon was proved for the first time in Hungary in this study. A clear correlation between physiological sleeping and sleeping disorders compared to changes in body composition has been shown, which led to the inclusion of a sleep questionnaire study in 2008. The present study aims to analyze a part of the sleep questionnaires received in 2008. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence and frequency of growth pain, restless leg syndrome (RLS) and anaemia, and the associations between these parameters. According to the results, the incidence of growth pains was found to be higher than in international data. In many aspects this difference was confirmed by the present study, however, there were also contr...

Bakgrund: Multipel skleros (MS) är en kronisk inflammatorisk sjukdom som drabbar den vita substansen i delar av det centrala nervsystemet. Typiskt för MS är att den går i skov och är oförutsägbar. Prognosen är mycket individuell och svår att förutse på grund av dess skiftande sjukdomsförlopp. MS är den vanligaste sjukdomsorsaken till rörelsehinder hos yngre vuxna. Syfte: Att beskriva patienters upplevelser av att leva med MS. Metod: Systematisk litteraturstudie. Nio artiklar inkluderades efter kvalitetsgranskning och analyserades med stöd av kvalitativ innehållsanalys och ett induktivt arbetssätt. Resultat: Genomgående i resultatet återkommer det att oförutsägbarheten som är förenad med MS samt den MS-relaterade tröttheten är stora faktorer som påverkar patienternas upplevelser av MS. Upplevelsen av att leva med MS är väldigt individuell. Att behålla sin integritet och självständighet upplevdes som viktigt. En oro fanns till exempel för eventuella framtida funktionsnedsättningar samt för att bli en börda för familjen. MS innebar även upplevelser av många svåra känslor. Slutsats: MS är en mycket individuell sjukdom som präglas av dess oförutsägbarhet och vården bör därför vara individanpassad. Genom ökad kunskap om MS kunde patienten bättre hantera sjukdomen. Sjuksköterskan har en betydande roll i bemötandet och vården av patienten genom till exempel stöttning och uppmuntran.