Craniofacial Anthropometry for Biological Profiling: Gender and Stature Estimation in Contemporary Igbo Nigerians

Abstract

IntroductionAnthropometric analysis of craniofacial variables plays a crucial role in establishing biological profiles for forensic identification. Sexual dimorphism and stature estimation from craniofacial measurements provide valuable tools when traditional skeletal elements are unavailable or compromised in forensic contexts.AimThis study aimed to determine gender and estimate stature from craniofacial variables among Nigerians belonging to the Igbo ethnic group, contributing population-specific reference data for forensic anthropological applications.MethodologyA prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 314 Igbo Nigerian adults (187 males, 127 females) aged 21-55 years. Twelve craniofacial variables were measured using spreading and digital vernier calipers following Martin and Saller methodology. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, stepwise regression for stature estimation, and discriminant function analysis for sex determination.ResultsMales exhibited significantly larger dimensions in 10 of 12 craniofacial variables (p<0.001). Stature showed weak but significant correlations with craniofacial variables, with total head height demonstrating the strongest correlation in males (r=0.304) and maximum head length in females (r=0.242). Regression models explained 10.2% of stature variance for both sexes. Stepwise discriminant analysis identified seven variables for sex classification, achieving 85.7% overall accuracy (87.2% for males, 83.5% for females) with cross-validation confirming 85.4% accuracy.ConclusionThis study establishes foundational reference data for craniofacial-based biological profile estimation in the Igbo population. While showing promise for forensic applications, the modest predictive power suggests these methods should be used cautiously and preferably integrated with other available skeletal evidence for optimal forensic identification.