Comparison of Cephalometric Indices Between the Hausa and Yoruba Ethnic Groups of Nigeria

Abstract

Anthropometry is a series of systemized measuring techniques that express quantitatively the dimensions of the human body and skeleton. Anthropometry is the study of the science of measurement basic to physical anthropology. It is often viewed as a traditional and perhaps the basic tool of biological anthropology. Satisfactory characterization has been established for some racial groups and especially for Caucasian and Negroes where a number of measurements are treated by discriminant analysis, an accuracy of over 90% expected. The aims of this research are to establish cephalometric indices of Hausa and the Yoruba ethnic groups of Nigeria and to compare these indices among the two ethnic groups. Eight indices were calculated, compared and discussed based on proposal by Bass. These indices are cephalic, nasal upper facial, cephalic modules, cephalic Length-Height (L-H1), cephalic Breadth-Height (B-H1), Mean Height (M-H1) and Mean Basion Height (M-BH1) indices. Hausa and Yoruba have mesocephalic heads. Hausa have the highest value for cephalic length height index, cephalic breadth height index, mean height index and mean basion height than the Yoruba All show the high skull characteristics of Negroes skull.