Abstract:

The female breast undergoes dramatic changes in size, shape and function in association with infantile growth, puberty, pregnancy, lactation, and postmenopausal regression. The aim of this study was to investigate the normal values of breast volume and its relationship with age and Body Mass Index (BMI) in healthy, young and unmarried Turkish women. In this study, the age, height, weight and body size (chest, waist and hip) were noted and the breast volume was measured with the Grossman-Rounder Breast Measuring Device in 101 female volunteers (age range18 to 30). Results showed that the average age, height and weight were 22, 1,63 cm and 55,2 kg, average chest, waist and hip measurements were 83,9 cm, 69,4 cm and 96,5 cm, respectively. Mean breast volume was 272.9 cc (right 275.1 cc, left 270.8 cc) and there were no statistically (SPSS, Paired-sample T-test) differences between right and left breast volumes. Statistical analyses showed that there were positive correlations between the average breast volume and BMI (r=0.324, p<0.05), and negative correlations between the breast volume and age. When the age increased, the breast volume decreased. The negative correlation was also found between BMI and age (r=0.324, p<0.05). The multiple linear regression analysis (Backward elimination method) showed that only BMI affected the breast volume when the breast volume was taken up as a dependent variable, age and BMI were independent variables

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