In order to find out the development and changes in the physical structure of people, the first anthropological research project of the inhabitants of Piebalga took place 87 years ago under the leadership of Professor Jēkabs Prīmanis. At that time, more than 4,000 residents of Vecpiebalga and Jaunpiebalga were surveyed and measured. This summer, researchers and students of Riga Stradiņš University (RSU) had the task of further developing what J. Prīmanis started.
22-28 of July and 5-11 of August, an anthropology study was conducted in Vecpiebalga and Jaunpiebalga, where the inhabitants of the area were measured, weighed and scanned. 330 residents were surveyed in Vecpiebalga, and 349 residents in Jaunpiebalga, four of whom were also measured in the historical study. Initially, it was hoped that 500 participants would succeed, but the response was much higher.
The research participants were particularly interested in the images scanned by the specialists of the innovative company CastPrint. Those interested had the opportunity to receive their 3D portrait by e-mail, and a large number took advantage of it. The age range of the participants was significant - from 1.5 years to 99 years. Surprisingly, subjects from all over the world participated in the study: England, Germany, Ireland, Italy and the USA.
"What special features did we observe in the participants? We noticed that they are not only tall, but also have very long arms. For one participant, the distance of the outstretched arms was 30 cm greater than the length of the body.
There was special interest in the historical data, because a large part admitted that they came because their relatives were measured in a previous study," said the leader of the study, professor of the RSU Institute of Anatomy and Anthropology Jānis Vētra.
On August 8, Minister of Health Hosams Abu Meri, Chairman of Cēsu Region Jānis Rozenbergs and Vice Rector of RSU Health Studies prof. Andris Skride. All agreed that the study was indeed valuable and should be continued.
Piebalga's family doctors also recognized that the research is valuable not only for research, but also for each participant. Several participants went to the family doctor immediately after the study because they did not know that they had high blood pressure. Prof. Jānis Vētra reminds us that we are only halfway there. The study was planned, the data collected, but now it is necessary to collect them, calculate the results and publish them. Not only participants, but also all interested parties will be informed about the results of the research.
Research project of anthropological research of the population of Latvia. The grant takes place through the cooperation of RSU, the municipality of Cēsu region and Roche Latvija with the aim of continuing the research carried out almost 90 years ago.
Photo: RSU