A STUDY ON CEPHALIC INDEX OF ADULT NORTH INDIAN POPULATION

Abstract

Introduction: Cephalic index is the percentage of head breadth to head length. The index is calculated from measurement of the diameters of head (head length and head breadth). When applied to living individuals it is known as cephalic index, and when referring to dry skulls, the cranial index. This index is used as a useful anthropological tool for analysis of racial and sexual differences in a population. The present study was done to find out Cephalic Index and to study sexual dimorphism in adult North Indian population. Objective of the study was to calculate the cephalic index and to find out that the present study group belongs to which category in the classification of skull based on cephalic index and to study the sexual dimorphism in respect to cephalic index. Material & Methods: The present study comprised of 200 medical students of age group between 18 yrs. to 25 yrs. of S.N. Medical College, Agra, not having any significant disease or deformity that could have affected the general or the bony growth. Two anthropometric parameters; head length and head breadth were recorded in centimeters by using spreading caliper. With these recorded data, cephalic index was calculated for males and females separately as well as combined. Results: Mean Cephalic Index was significantly higher (p=0.03124) in females (79.350 ± 5.7157) as compared to males (77.715 ± 4.9102). Conclusion: There was a statistically significant difference in the mean of the cephalic indices of male and female students (p=0.03124). The mean cephalic index of combined population in this study was 78.533 ± 5.3776 which states that the dominant head shape among North Indians is Mesaticephalic.