ABSTRACT
It is important to consider that biological variation among humans has biomedical, forensic, and socio-political implications. As such, the study of human variation and evolution has formed the basis of anthropological inquiry for centuries and continues to be a major source of plot and inspiration for modern scientific research. Stature prediction from body proportions and fragmented body parts of an individual plays a significant role in forensic examinations and anthropological research. It provides insight into a population, defines the ethnic variability of the population and provide significant evidence in the medico-legal investigation for the establishment of identity. The study aimed to determine the anthropometric variables, estimate stature and determine sexual dimorphism from body proportions of children and adults in the Southern, Central and Northern senatorial zones of Cross River State, in order to establish a reference data base for the relationship between body proportions, stature and sexual dimorphism in the study population as stature equations are population specific. The study sample comprised 1200 subjects (600 males and 600 females) of Cross River State parentage using systematic random sampling and self-administered proforma which were completed by the enumerators, aged 5 to 45 years who volunteered and satisfied the inclusion criteria. The study protocol was divided into four age groups, from children (5 to 11 years), adolescents (12 to 17 years), young adults (18 to 30 years) and adults (31 to 45 years). In order to examine the rate of change across age groups, male and female samples from the four age bands were considered separately. The study showed that the mean age of the subjects in the entire population was 20.35 � 10.70 years. The average ages of the subjects from Southern, Central and Northern senatorial zones were 20.12 � 10.38, 20.61 � 10.77 and 20.31 � 10.95 years, respectively. The mean height of the population was 153.09 � 17.98 cm, with a mean height for males and females 155.88 � 20.13 cm and 150.29 � 15.03 cm, respectively, indicating that the males were significantly taller in stature when compared to the females (t = 5.46, P ? 0.001). The mean height for Southern, Central and Northern senatorial zones were 152.90 � 17.16, 154.44 � 18.01 and 151.92 � 18.68 cm, respectively, indicating that the subjects from the Central senatorial zone are significantly taller in stature when compared to subjects from the Southern and Northern senatorial zones (P < 0.001). Girls from the Southern senatorial zone and Central senatorial zone have larger anthropometrics than the boys, except the Northern senatorial zone where boys are presented with higher anthropometrics when compared to the girls. Males are presented with higher anthropometrics in the adolescent, young adult and adult age groups when compared to their female counterparts. Also, males showed higher correlation between measured variables and stature compared to females. Linear and multiple regression models for stature estimation from anthropometric variables of each senatorial zone were generated. Demispan length had the highest precision as single prediction parameter. This study has demonstrated that stature can be predicted from body proportions, with the demispan length showing more accuracy and reliability than the other measured variables.