Body physique and nutritional status of Naga wrestlers: A case study of the Chakhesang tribe of Nagaland, India

Abstract

The present study was conducted among the Chakhesang wrestlers and the controlled group of Phek district, Nagaland. This study aims to describe the variation in body physique and nutritional status of the traditional Naga-style wrestlers and the controlled group. Altogether, 52 each prominent wrestlers and non-wrestlers aged between 18 and 34 years were included in the present study. Heath-Carter method of somatotyping was employed to determine body physique. Nutritional status was determined using BMI classification for the Asian population given by WHO. Significant variations at different levels of probability were observed in all the anthropometric measurements included in the present study between the wrestlers and the controlled group. Significant variations were also found in BMI (p