The effect of ethnicity on facial anthropometry in Northern Iran

Jahanshahi M, Golalipour MJ, Heidari K
Correspondence: Dr Mehrdad Jahanshahi, mejahanshahi@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT
Introduction The evaluation and measurement of human body dimensions are achieved by physical anthropometry. Cephalometery is a branch of anthropometry science in which the head and face anatomical dimensions are measured. This research was conducted in view of the importance of anthropometric indices of the face in forensic medicine, surgery, paediatrics and medical imaging.
Methods This descriptive and cross-sectional study was set up to determine and compare the face shapes in Fars and Turkman ethnic groups of 808 normal 17-to 20-year-old males and females in Gorgon, North Iran (Fars group 407, male 200 and female 207; Turkman group 401, male 198 and female 203). The length and width of faces were determined by using classic cephalometery technique with Martin spreading callipers, and the shape of faces in the ethnic group of Fars and Turkman in both sexes was compared.
Results The dominant type of face shape in both the native Fars and Turkman females was euryprosopic (37.7 and 51.7 percent, respectively). The dominant type of face shape in the native Fars and Turkman males was mesoprosopic (44 and 38.4 percent, respectively).
Conclusion This study determined the possible effect of ethnicity on the diversity of face shapes in young males and females in this region.

Keywords: cephalometry, facial anthropometry, prosopic index
Singapore Med J 2008; 49(11): 940-943