Models for predicting height from percutaneous lengths of the ulna and femur in a Ghanaian population

Abstract

This study aimed to develop predictive models from percutaneous femoral (PFL) and ulna (PUL) lengths for estimating height among a living Ghanaian population. This was a cross-sectional study involving 99 adults (males = 52, females = 47) between the ages of 19–31yrs. The height, femoral and ulnar lengths of all participants were measured twice using standard anthropometric methods. Regression predictive equation models were developed based on PFL, PUL, age and the combined PFL + PUL. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Males were significantly taller and had longer PFL and PUL than females (p < 0.05 for all). Correlation between height and PFL, PUL, age and PFL + PUL in the total study population was 0.783, 0.786, 0.234 and 0.875 and their adjusted R2 were 60.9%, 61.4%, 4.5% and 76.4%, respectively. Predicted heights using all models except age, were not significantly different from the measured height (mean difference ≤ 0.0, p > 0.05). However, other population-based models used to predict the height of Ghanaians deviated from the observed height by about 2.1–8.2 cm in males and 1.5–7.6 cm in females. The combined PFL + PUL was more suitable for predictive height followed by PFL and PUL. Height estimating models from PFL and PUL are population-specific and should not be extrapolated to other populations.