RESUMO
Objective To investigate the body characteristics of zhuang-dong ethnic group. Methods Totally 14 Zhuang-Dong languages in Guizhou, Guangxi, Yunnan, Hainan and Hunan were measured with anthropometry. Results The foot breadth, upper arm length and forearm length of male of Zhuang-Dong ethnic group were not correlated with age, while crista iliaca breadth was positively correlated with age (P<0. 01), 24 indexes including weight, stature and tragion height are negatively correlated with age (P<0. 05 or P<0. 01) . Six indicators of Zhuang-Dong female' s foot breadth, hand length, height of suprasternal notch above sitting plane, upper extremity length, lower extremity length and upper arm length were not related with age, while four indicators of hand breadth at metacarpale, crista iliaca breadth, total arm length and forearm length were positively correlated with age (P< 0. 05 or P< 0. 01), while 18 indicators of weight, stature and tragion height were negatively correlated with age (P<0. 05 or P <0. 01). The vast majority of body index values had statistical significance among age groups. The average value of all body indexes of Zhuang-Dong ethnic groups was larger than that in female (P<0. 05 or P<0. 01), that was, the height, length and width of male body were larger than that of female. Principal component analysis showed that, the stature, sitting height, height of suprasternal notch above sitting plane and weight of Lingao people, Li nationality men and women were larger than those of other 12 Zhuang-Dong language group. Mulao and Bajia had similar human body characteristics. In addition, the mean values of human body indexes of the 14 Zhuang-Dong language group, Bulang ethnic group and Gejia ethnic group were lower than those of the northern Han nationality, the Mongolian Balhu ethnic group, the Mongolian Erdos ethnic group, the Heshuo ethnic group in Qinghai, the Uzbek ethnic group, the southern Han nationality, the Mosuo ethnic group, the Qiang ethnic group and the Yi ethnic group. Conclusion Men and women in Zhuang-Dong ethnic group have little weight, while men' s height belongs to short stature and female's height belongs to sub-medium stature. Zhuang-Dong ethnic group has the physical characteristics of ethnic minorities in southern China, and belongs to the physical type of short stature and light weight.