A study on the estimation of stature from measurement of cephalic dimensions by regression analysis in Shah Alam population

Definite and proportional biological relationship of stature with each and every part of the human body enables a forensic examiner to calculate the stature from dismembered and mutilated body parts. Stature estimation becomes equally consequential in medico-legal cases as that of age, sex and race. The aim of this study is to identify the relationship between the stature and cephalic dimensions measurement, of the genders and the major ethnic groups in Malaysia. Present study comprises of 270 subjects and equally divided among young adults (18–35 years old) into two genders and three major ethnic groups (Malay, Indian & Chinese) in Shah Alam, Selangor. Along with height, three different dimensions of head were measured. Measurements were taken with the help of standard instruments. The mean and standard deviation were obtained. Pearson's correlation coefficient and linear regression equations were derived for male and female separately and for total subjects of the study group. The gender differences between height and all cephalic dimensions were statistically significant (p<0.01). The difference in the mean of head circumference (HC) and maximum head length (MHL) among the three ethnic groups were also statistically significant, while the difference in the mean of the stature and maximum head breadth (MHB) were found not statistically significant in this study. HC showed moderately strong correlation (r=0.514) with stature, while both MHB and MHL showed weak correlation (r<0.5). The mean of all three cephalic measurements is higher in male than in female subjects in the study group and out of all three cephalic dimensions studied, HC showed the strongest correlation with height and MHB showed the lowest correlation with height.