Assessment and Comparative Analysis of Individual Temperament and Somatotype in Young Athletes According to Iranian Traditional Medicine and Heath-Carter Method

Member of Iranian Traditional Medicine Researchers, Islamic Azad University of Omidiyeh, Iran

Corresponding author: Mahdi Qanavati, Member of Iranian Traditional  Medicine Researchers, Islamic Azad University of Omidiyeh, Iran, Tel: 09031231983; E-mail: [email protected]

Received Date: September 22, 2020
Publication Date: November 27, 2020

ABSTRACT

Objectives: This study examined the hypothesis that whether any significant differences exist or not in individual temperament and somatotype components in young athletes.

Methods: The cross-sectional study was carried out with 202 male athletes (age = 23 years ± 2.7, mean ± SE). They were categorized into four groups according to their temperaments by using a questionnaire. Also, the Heath-Carter method was applied to estimate the somatotype components. One-Way ANOVA followed by Scheffe’s tests was organized (p<0.05) for data analysis.

Results: In this research, the highest mesomorphy, ectomorphy and endomorphy components were observed in the Blood, Yellow Bile and Phlegm temperaments, respectively with means of 6.1 ± 0.28, 3.9 ± 0.11, and 5.9 ± 0.32. Also, a significant difference was observed between Blood temperament and, mesomorphy component (p<0.001) but Blood temperament had insignificant differences with other studied somatotype components (p>0.05). Ectomorphy and mesomorphy components significantly differ among Yellow Bile temperament (p<0.05), while an insignificant difference was found between Yellow Bile temperament and endomorphy component (p>0.05). Significant differences also were showed between Black Bile temperament and all somatotype components (p<0.05). Among Phlegm temperament and endomorphy component was a significant difference (p<0.001), but there were no significant differences between the Phlegm temperament and the other two somatotype components (p>0.05).

Conclusions: Given the importance of body type in sports performance, current findings suggest that coaches should be aware of the individual temperaments which could serve as a guide to design special training schedules for athletes.

KEYWORDS: Temperament; Somatotype; Traditional medicine; Heath-Carter method; Iran