Three types of Human bodily structure

People all around the world varied in size and shape of the body as it is strongly associated with the environment and hereditary processes. Whatever may be the individual variation, all are brought under three general categories as, ectomorphic (lean and thin), mesomorphic (middle and normal ) and endomorphic (bulky and round). These are referred as body constitutional types. Although it was believed that these structural categories are fixed in nature initially by an Italian Physician, Viola, followed by German psychiatrist, Kresschmer, but later, it was Sheldon, an American Scientist, who made it clear that the type of the body is not fixed but change from one category to the other. Of the three classifications, the Sheldon classification is widely accepted and had become a tenable theory.

Human Body Composition:

As is the classification of the body, the tissue components (bone, muscle and fat) are also linked to bodily structure and they also change from one to the other. In ectomorphs, the bone predominates over muscle and fat; in mesomorphs, the muscle component is more compared to bone and fat; while in endomorphs, the fat distribution is more than bone and muscle.

Flexible scale to measure the Human body composition:

 

These structural components along with the overall physique will have its influence in function, disease and behavior of the individual. These are better represented through body mass index of the overall physique A twelve point grading scale using anthropometric measurements and factor analysis, puts people in different categories. The 12 points are ascribed equally to all types of body constitutions as 4-4-4 (ecto-meso-endo). The one with this grading scale is described as perfect mesomorphic. An ectomorphic may have a scale of 6-3-3 and the extreme being 8-2-2; while an endomorphic condition will have 3-3-6, the extreme being 2-2-8. However, the scale may change indicating intermediary categories, ecto to mesomorphic; meso to endomorphic or endo to mesomorphic conditions.

Human Body builds and functions:

Body build seems to have related with only physiological functions which are relatively stable through time. The 17-ketogenic steroids are related to endocrinal products of muscle content, hormones and carbohydrate metabolism. These found to be higher among mesomorphs than others. Blood volume has also been shown to be higher in mesomorphy and lower in ecto and endomorphs.

Human Body builds and disease:

Pulmonary tuberculosis is a disease of ectomorphic builds or at least of persons with a low weight for their height, while coronary thrombosis is more among mesomorphs. Diabetes is also related to body build and late onset sufferers are more in endomorphic. Among mental disorders there is a marked affinity with body build. Schizophrenics are usually high in ectomorphy, paranoids are high in mesomorphy. The neurotic breakdown is associated with body build and this coupled with hysterical and depressed patients tend to be high in mesomorphy and endomorphy; while anxious and tension patients are high in ectomorphy.

Body builds and behavior:

Boy build and behavior are related closely. Physical adventure, heroic behavior is common phenomenon of mesomorphs. The ectomorphs seem to be more of introverts; while endomorphs are extroverts in nature. The endomorphs generally relax in posture and movement and love more of physical comfort. The mesomorphs are very assertive of posture and movement and more aggressive in nature; while ectomorphs (lean and thin) are restraint in posture and movement. Further, ectomorphs are more emotional and breakdown easily and they look for solitude when troubled.

However, an erroneous belief is deeply embedded in our culture as extreme ecto and endomorphs are being laughed at and are subjects of mockery and comedy as of Laurel and Hardy or Charley Chaplin. We cannot imagine a portrait of Christ that looks like Buddha. Evidently, we have a stereotyped image linking physique and behavior in our minds, while it is not so in reality. The much desired and balanced body type of mesomorphy (medium and normal) is an attribution of individual effort through continued balancing of the body through time and at all ages.