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In this paper body mass and body mass in relation to height is analyzed, based on a cross-sectional sample of 21,648 boys and men, and 21,391 girls and women living in villages, towns, and cities in all new federal states of Germany. The sample is stratified to sex, age, territory and size of the settlement. Weight to height regression lines are compared to the results of weight categories by height. The results of the normal weight categories are compared to the optimal weights of Broca, Ott, and Möhr as well as to the standard weights of the US-population. It is pointed out that body mass does not only depend on age and type of body shape during growth age, but also during adulthood. Curves of normal weight are given for children and adolescents in relation to their sex, age, height, and type of body shape. The median values of weight are published as tables for adults.

The present paper is based on the analysis of congress reports and gerontological journals and points up new trends in gerontological research. Quantitatively, there was an increase in the number of psycho-gerontological publications. However, relatively seen, they represent an almost unchanged percentage of the contributions to gerontological literature on the whole. Predominant themes in USA and West Germany are discussed. There is, on the one hand, an increasing differentiation and specialization of methodical contribution and, on the other hand, an increasing number of contributions which neglect the methodical aspect. A trend toward practically oriented research is shown, as can be seen in intervention gerontology. Aging is seen as a phanomena with biological, social, and ecological determinants. In conclusion the universality and generality of aging is questioned, the concept of a differential gerontology is proposed and so a greater consideration of the individuality of the aging process is found to be necessary.