Estimation of stature from head length and head breadth-a cross sectional study

Stature is an important biological parameter in medico-legal examination. This includes the determination of species of origin, age, sex and stature from the bones. It occurs when highly decomposed or mutilated fragments are brought to the medico-legal examination. Sometimes only the skull of the human is brought to the examination and helps in the estimation of stature. Among the common questioner of medico legal examination e.g. age, sex, race, etc, estimation of stature becomes equally important in such cases. The aim of this study was to estimate the stature of human from the head length and the head breadth. This prospective study was done in department of Anatomy, Saveetha Dental College, Chennai located in Southern India. It was carried out in September 2015. A total of 100 young and healthy individuals comprising of 73 girls and 27 boys were selected for the present study. Anthropometric methodology: The stature and then head measurements of each subject were taken by using standard anthropometric instruments, in centimetres, to the nearest millimetre according to the technique described by Vallois. Descriptive statistics for height, head length, head breadth. (Male = 27; Female = 73). Head length: The regression equation generated showing the correlation between the height and the head length: Height = 2.306 (Head length) + 119.324 (R2 - 0.042) Head breadth: Theregression equation generated showing the correlation between the height and the head breadth: Height = 1.701Head breadth + 136.385 (R2 - 0.010). From this study, it can be concluded that the stature can be estimated from head length and the head breadth of the South Indian population.