Secular Trends in Measures of Cephalo-Facial Traits among Bengalee Boys Aged 7.0–16.0 Years from Kolkata between 1982–1983 and 1999–2001

While a large number of studies on secular trends have been performed on measures of stature, weight, trunk and limb dimensions, subcutaneous fatness and body composition, etc., less attention has been paid to cephalo-facial traits. This study reports on secular trends in five cephalo-facial traits (head length, head breadth, head circumference, bizygomatic breadth and morphological facial height) and two indices (cephalic index and facial index) in Bengalee Hindu boys between ages 7.0 and 16.0 years. The data set comes from two cross-sectional growth surveys carried out among the students of one particular Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) boys school with an interval of about 20 years (1982–1983 and 1999–2001). Identical protocol with respect to sampling, data collection, measuring technique and data analysis has been followed in both surveys. Except for morphological facial height (which showed negative secular trends), the other four cephalo-facial traits showed positive secular trends with varying magnitudes over the two decades. Cephalic index did not reveal any consistent pattern of change, while facial index showed a declining trend in the later survey.     

Biological traits and living conditions of Maya Indian and non Maya girls from Merida,Mexico

A total of 522 girls and their families from low and middle social strate were examined in the northern part of Merida (Yucatan) during 1988 and 1989. Marital radius in the parental generation was relatively long (146 km), and it was six times longer for non-Maya and mixed couples than Maya. Living and housing conditions were similar for both Maya and non-Maya (mixed couples typically had an intermediate condition), except for sewage system (sanitation). The Maya income was 64% lower. Maya men and women were short. The girls from Merida were short, hyper-brachycephalic (short headed), and europrosopic (broad face). Among them, Maya girls were even shorter, more round-headed, and more broad-faced than non-Maya girls. Menarche occurred on the average at an age of 12.6 years in mothers and 12.1 years in daughters. As the generation time was about 25 years, there was a slow acceleration of maturation (0.2 years per decade). Presumably, also stature has increased in recent years.     

The phenomenon of debrachycephalization in Jena school children

Head measurements are performed within the anthropological investigations of school children from Jena (Germany) since more than 5 decades (1944-1995). Here we report on secular changes of the head length, the head breadth and the cephalic index. The head circumference, measured in 1985 and in 1995, is included in the analysis. Head length and head breadth show a contrary development over the whole period: the average length of the head increases between the consecutive investigations, whereas the breadth of the head decreases continuously between the separate investigations. As a consequence the cephalic index decreases in boys and girls for about 8 units since 1944. In this way a secular change of the shape of the head in the sense of debrachycephalisation can be proved in Jena school children. The head circumference, however, remains nearly constant between 1985 and 1995. Possible causes of this process of debrachycephalisation are focussed in this article.     

Craniofacial dimensions in children in rural Oaxaca, southern Mexico: secular change, 1968-2000

The objective of this investigation was to analyze the underlying cause(s) of secular changes in craniofacial dimensions among indigenous children in an isolated community in Oaxaca, southern Mexico, between 1968-2000. Subjects were schoolchildren resident in a rural, agrarian, Zapotec-speaking community in the Valley of Oaxaca, previously characterized as mildly-to-moderately undernourished with growth-stunting in 1968 and 1978. In 2000, children had experienced a secular increase in height compared with two prior growth surveys. Four craniofacial dimensions (head length, head breadth, and bizygomatic and bigonial breadths) were measured during anthropometric surveys of schoolchildren aged 6-13 years in 1968, 1978, and 2000. Cephalic and zygomandibular indices were calculated. Samples by survey were: 1968, 151 males and 157 females; 1978, 179 males and 184 females; and 2000, 180 males and 186 females. The analysis was based on a total of 1,037 children. Multivariate analysis of covariance was used to assess secular trend effects, with height, age, and age2 as covariates by sex. Over the interval of 32 years, significant secular changes occurred in craniofacial dimensions and one index: 1) head length was shorter in boys and girls; 2) bizygomatic breadth was narrower in boys and girls; 3) head breadth increased over time only among girls; 4) brachycephalization increased significantly in a linear manner among both sexes; and 5) the zygomandibular index decreased significantly only in boys. Thus, the cranial complex remodeled to a shorter head length, both relatively (brachycephalization) and absolutely. Remodeling over time also resulted in a narrower face, with the midface changing at about the same rate as the lower face (i.e., mandible). Secular changes are generally recognized as multifactorial. Changes in the cephalic index and cranium over time in schoolchildren in an isolated rural agrarian Zapotec-speaking community in the Valley of Oaxaca suggest that the underlying forces for the secular change are associated: 1) decreased food (maize) coarseness or grit content (masticatory stress), and 2) relaxed natural selection, resulting in 3) a greater role for developmental plasticity.     

学龄双生子儿童头面部特征的遗传学分析

为探讨遗传与环境因素对学龄双生子儿童头面部特征的影响, 对呼和浩特市和包头市7-12岁369对双生子儿童(同卵180对, 同性别异卵141对, 异性别异卵48对)的16项头面部指标进行活体测量。采用通径分析方法, 用Mx软件拟合最佳结构方程模型, 计算各指标遗传与环境方差组分, 分析年龄、性别的作用。结果发现, 校正年龄后, 头部指标中头围的遗传度(男66%, 女66%)较高; 面部指标中, 容貌面高的遗传度(男73%, 女84%)最高, 其次为鼻宽(男57%, 女67%)、眼内角间宽(男57%, 女50%)和额最小宽(男50%, 女50%); 头长(男64%, 女25%)、头宽(男26%, 女82%)、眼外角间宽(男76%, 女34%)和容貌耳长(男23%, 女70%)的遗传度存在一定的性别差异。表明遗传因素与环境因素对学龄双生子儿童的头面部发育均有一定影响, 其中遗传因素对男女头围及容貌面高、男性头长和眼外角间宽、女性头宽、鼻宽、口宽、容貌耳长的影响相对较大。     

Secular change in body height and cephalic index of Croatian medical students (University of Rijeka)

An investigation of body height and cephalic measurements was performed among five groups of first-year medical students of the University of Rijeka School of Medicine (Rijeka, Croatia). Body height and different cephalic measurements showed normal distribution, both in male and female students. Differences between measured variables were statistically analyzed by ANOVA. No significant difference with regard to year of birth was found in either males or females. The cephalic index showed no statistically significant difference between sexes or with regard to body height, while head breadth and length correlated significantly with birth year and body height, both in males and females. Head breadth decreased within the study period, while head length increased. Results were compared with those of similar studies from the mid-20th century. Student's t-test showed a significant change of cephalic indices and other head measurements, but not of body height, in males. The frequency difference between various head shapes was tested using the chi-square test. A significant increase of dolichocephalic and mesocephalic and a significant decrease of brachycephalic head shape were found in both sexes. These results suggest a continuity of the debrachycephalization process observed in our population at the past midcentury.     

Physical characteristics of Chinese Hakka

Using standard and internationally validated methods,86 anthropologic characteristics were determined in 650 male(305 from urban areas and 345 from rural areas) and 704 female(331 from urban areas,373 from rural areas) Chinese Hakka adults living in Guangdong and Jiangxi.The data were used to calculate 24 anthropologic indices,which were analyzed statistically.The physical characteristics of Hakka subjects were analyzed and compared with reference ethnic data.There were four main findings of this study.First,a small proportion of Hakka adults had an eye fold on the upper eyelid,but a large proportion had a mongoloid fold.The eye slits were narrow in most adults,had a medium nasal root height and straight bridges,and most of the external angles were prominent.The nasal base was upturned in most men.The distributions of the three types of nasal base in women were similar.The proportions of subjects with middle and high alae nasi heights were high and similar.Males with a maximum nostril diameter were mostly classified as transverse and oblique,while many women were classified as transverse and had relatively wide alae nasi.The round lobe type was the most common.Upper lip skin height was mostly classified as medium.Lips were classified as thin.The hair was black,eyes were brown,and the skin was yellowish.Second,the head length was long in male Hakka.The minimum frontal breadth,face breadth,lip height,and interocular breadth were similar to those of North-Asian populations.Meanwhile,head breadth,morphological facial height,nose breadth,mouth breadth,and nose height were similar to those of South-Asian populations.Head length was long in female Hakka.The minimum frontal breadth,face breadth,lip height,and interocular breadth were similar to those of North-Asian populations.Head breadth,nose breadth,and mouth breadth were similar to those of South-Asian populations.Third,the stature of male and female Hakka in urban and rural areas was classified as medium.The proportions of male and female Hakka classified as mesocephaly(length-breadth index of the head),hypsicephalic type,metriocephalic type(breadth-height index of the head) mesorrhiny,long trunk,subbrachyskelic type,broad shoulder breadth,and narrow distance between iliac crests were higher than those of other types.Finally,principal component analyses showed that the physical characteristics of Hakka were between those of South-Asian and North-Asian ethnic populations,but were generally closer to those of North-Asian populations in China.     

腊尔山区苗族学生头面部形态特征

本项目对1896例腊尔山区6~16岁苗族学生（男919例,女977例）进行了人体测量,测量了10项头面部形态指标,并根据公式计算13项头面部指数值。结果表明,苗族学生头面部各指标均值随年龄增长而增加,同年龄段头面部各指标均值男生一般高于女生,且多数年龄段差异有统计学意义;男性的头长宽的、形态面的、形态上面的、容貌面的、颧额宽的、容貌上面的和容貌上面高的指数以及女性的形态面的、形态上面的、容貌面的、颧下颌宽度的、容貌上面高的指数随年龄增长总体趋势是先增加后递减;男性头面高的以及女性的头长高的、头宽高的和头面宽的指数随年龄增长逐渐增加;男女性之间的头长高的、头宽高的和额顶宽的指数比较显示,多数年龄段差异有统计学意义;苗族学生头型以中头型、高头型、阔头型多见,面型以阔面型、阔上面型为主;相对于其他族群,腊尔山苗族男生面型短而宽,头型偏长,女生面型偏短,头型稍偏长而窄。腊尔山苗族学生头面部特征与融水苗族、土家族等族群较为接近,与哈萨克族、新乡汉族相距较远。     

Anthropometric studies in Brazilian Cayapo Indians

Results of 16 measurements and 7 indices obtained from 130 men and 156 women belonging to three populations of Brazilian Indians are reported. For both males and females the averages for stature and head breadth are in the middle of the distribution range of values observed in other South American tribes; those for head length and nasal height are relatively low but the averages for sitting height, calf circumference and minimum frontal breadth are high. As for the indices, in both sexes the cephalic and cephalofacial are medium, the Rohrer, jugomandibularis and facial low, and the nasal high when compared with other tribes. Morphological distances between the three Cayapo populations were estimated using Mahalanobis' D² statistic; they are smaller than those separating different tribes and are not the expected ones when the demographic variables of these groups and the geographic distances between them are considered. The amount of variability as expressed by the coefficient of variation and the prevailing pattern of sexual dimorphism are similar to those observed in other Indian populations.     

我国23个群体体质的聚类分析与主成分分析

作者选取13项指标（头长、头宽、额最小宽、面宽、形态面高、鼻宽、鼻高、口裂宽、两眼内宽、身高、坐高、肩宽、骨盆宽）对我国23个群体体质特征进行了聚类分析与主成分分析。研究结果显示：23个群体可分为南方组、北方组（含两个小组）和中间类群组。南方组与北方组的体质区别主要为体部的长度、宽度的差异。北方组各群体之间头面部指标值差异较大,南方组各群体之间头面部指标值则较为接近。     

临高人的体质特征

应用《人体测量方法》调查了海南省临高成人417例(男211例,女206例)的71项体质指标,对18项体质指数进行计算,统计指数分型情况,并与我国部分族群体质资料进行比较,分析临高人的体质特征。结果显示:1)临高人头面部特征为圆头型、高头型、中头型、阔面型和中鼻型。临高人体部特征为中等型身材、中腿型、中胸型、宽肩型、中骨盆型、长躯干型。2)临高人以长躯干型、中腿型、宽肩型、中骨盆型、高头型、中头型、中鼻型出现率最高。3)临高人与海南其他族群比较头部、面部及五官部较宽,面部、鼻部高度值较小,身材宽而高。4)聚类分析显示,临高人体质特征与中国北方少数民族和其他地区汉族较接近。     

Age effects and secular trend in a cross-sectional sample: application to four head dimensions in Belgian adults

If longitudinal studies represent the more direct way to analyze modifications resulting from aging, often for obvious reasons cross-sectional samples can also be used for this purpose. But in this case differences between age groups cannot be identified with the effects of age only; they can also be attributed to the effects of a secular trend. It is the aim of this study to show, using four cephalic dimensions and a cross-sectional sample, the need to take into account the effect of a secular trend when the age effect is studied. In 1985 a study of head and facial measurements of 182 Belgian men, aged 25-54 years, was carried out. A simple comparison between different age groups (F tests) revealed significant differences for head breadth and facial breadths. However, no difference for head length was observed. The amplitude of the secular trend in the Belgian population is already known; thus an easy calculation is proposed to define the effects of the age factor. For head breadth the whole difference seems to be the result of the important decrease of secular trend, whereas the global increase observed for the bizygomatic and bigonial breadths results in part from the decrease resulting from the secular trend and in part from the increase resulting from the age effect.     

北京市幼儿园2—6岁儿童生长情况

1985年5月—8月,作者对北京市幼儿园833名2—6岁儿童进行了人体测量调查,并对所获得的数据进行了统计分析。结果表明2—6岁儿童身高增长较快,平均每年增加70毫米,身体各部分的长度变化基本与身高的增长相协调;围度的变异范围大于长度的变异范围。同1975年调查结果相比,儿童的体重、身高、胸围等项目数值都有所增加,但身高的增加速度已减慢。     

Effects of X chromosome on size and shape of body: an anthropometric investigation in 47,XXY males

The effects of an extra X chromosome on size and shape of body and head were studied in 47,XXY males; 25 anthropometric measurements were recorded from 29 adult 47,XXY males and compared with those of male relatives and control males. In stature, arm length, leg length, triceps skinfold, and subscapular skinfold 47,XXY males were larger and in biacromial diameter, bideltoid breadth, wrist breadth, and in most head dimensions smaller than normal males. Arm length was increased less than leg length. Increase in stature seemed to be caused solely by increased leg length, and the somewhat feminine proportions in trunk were caused by decrease in biacromial diameter. Correlations of the body and head dimensions between 47,XXY males and their male relatives were found to be normal. The present findings support the earlier proposals that X chromosome carries genes which influence linear growth. It is suggested that the reduction in biacromial diameter is caused by lowered plasma testosterone level which may also have affected sitting height. The control of body and head dimensions seems to be maintained relatively normal.     

基诺族体质特征及35年来体质的变化

对云南西双版纳傣族自治州景洪县基诺山基诺乡的基诺族进行体质调查,测量了600例(男279人,女321人)成人人体测量学指标,与35年前在同一地区测量的基诺族体质数据进行了比较,初步分析了35年来基诺族体质变化的原因,研究表明,基诺族身材较矮,颧部不突出,上眼睑多有皱褶,接近40%成年人具有蒙古褶,眼裂高度多为中等,眼外角多高于眼内角,鼻根高度多为中等,多为直鼻背,多直发。基诺族男性、女性均为圆头型、高头型、中头型、阔面型、中鼻型,中躯干型、中腿型、宽胸型、宽肩型、中骨盆型。这些表明基诺族具有南亚类型体质特征。35年来,基诺族男女的头长、头宽、面宽、下颌角宽、容貌面高、身高、坐高、胸围、肩宽、体重等指标值较1980年指标有所增长。基诺族体质的变化与当地生产力的发展,饮食结构的改善、体力劳动的强度变化都有一定的关系。     

四川凉山彝族的人体测量学

本文调查了402例(男197例,女205例)彝族成人的68项体质指标,计算了20项体质指数,对凉山彝族体质进行了初步分析。结果表明:1)四川凉山彝族头面部主要特征为圆头型、中鼻型、狭面型。体部特征为中躯干型、中骨盆型,彝族男性为亚中等型身材,女性为中等型身材;2)四川彝族与广西、云南彝族比较,头宽、额最小宽、形态面高值最大;头长值小;口裂宽、鼻宽居中;面宽值接近,鼻型均为中鼻型。四川彝族男性身高与云南彝族接近,明显高于广西彝族(p<0.01),四川彝族女性身材明显高于云南彝族和广西彝族(p<0.01);3)四川凉山彝族体质特征与阿昌族、怒族、仡佬族等南方少数民族较接近,与四川汉族最接近。     

Anthropometric variation and the genetic structure of the Jirels of Nepal

Anthropometric measurements (head length, head breadth, bizygomatic diameter, minimum frontal diameter, head circumference, and stature) for 526 adult Jirels are utilized to establish the pattern of phenotypic relationships between seven villages in eastern Nepal. An analytical framework is provided that justifies the interpretation of biological distances as minimum genetic distances. Using this approach, estimates of the minimum pairwise genetic distances between villages and the minimum FST for the population are derived from the purely phenotypic data. The FST obtained in this way is consistent with results obtained from other data available for this population, confirming the utility of phenetic analysis of quantitative traits for elucidating genetic structure.     

Maternal short stature does not predict their children's fatness indicators in a nutritional dual‐burden sample of urban Mexican Maya

The co‐existence of very short stature due to poor chronic environment in early life and obesity is becoming a public health concern in rapidly transitioning populations with high levels of poverty. Individuals who have very short stature seem to be at an increased risk of obesity in times of relative caloric abundance. Increasing evidence shows that an individual is influenced by exposures in previous generations. This study assesses whether maternal poor early life environment predicts her child's adiposity using cross sectional design on Maya schoolchildren aged 7–9 and their mothers (n = 57 pairs). We compared maternal chronic early life environment (stature) with her child's adiposity (body mass index [BMI] z‐score, waist circumference z‐score, and percentage body fat) using multiple linear regression, controlling for the child's own environmental exposures (household sanitation and maternal parity). The research was performed in the south of Merida, Yucatan, Mexico, a low socioeconomic urban area in an upper middle income country. The Maya mothers were very short, with a mean stature of 147 cm. The children had fairly high adiposity levels, with BMI and waist circumference z‐scores above the reference median. Maternal stature did not significantly predict any child adiposity indicator. There does not appear to be an intergenerational component of maternal early life chronic under‐nutrition on her child's obesity risk within this free living population living in poverty. These results suggest that the co‐existence of very short stature and obesity appears to be primarily due to exposures and experiences within a generation rather than across generations. Am J Phys Anthropol 153:627–634, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Human body mass estimation: a comparison of "morphometric" and "mechanical" methods

In the past, body mass was reconstructed from hominin skeletal remains using both "mechanical" methods which rely on the support of body mass by weight-bearing skeletal elements, and "morphometric" methods which reconstruct body mass through direct assessment of body size and shape. A previous comparison of two such techniques, using femoral head breadth (mechanical) and stature and bi-iliac breadth (morphometric), indicated a good general correspondence between them (Ruff et al. [1997] Nature 387:173-176). However, the two techniques were never systematically compared across a large group of modern humans of diverse body form. This study incorporates skeletal measures taken from 1,173 Holocene adult individuals, representing diverse geographic origins, body sizes, and body shapes. Femoral head breadth, bi-iliac breadth (after pelvic rearticulation), and long bone lengths were measured on each individual. Statures were estimated from long bone lengths using appropriate reference samples. Body masses were calculated using three available femoral head breadth (FH) formulae and the stature/bi-iliac breadth (STBIB) formula, and compared. All methods yielded similar results. Correlations between FH estimates and STBIB estimates are 0.74-0.81. Slight differences in results between the three FH estimates can be attributed to sampling differences in the original reference samples, and in particular, the body-size ranges included in those samples. There is no evidence for systematic differences in results due to differences in body proportions. Since the STBIB method was validated on other samples, and the FH methods produced similar estimates, this argues that either may be applied to skeletal remains with some confidence.     

Effects of interracial crosses on cephalometric measurements

The effects of race and interracial crossing were examined on six cephalometric measurements among 9,912 schoolchildren in Hawaii. The measurements studied were face height, bizygomatic diameter, bigonial diameter, head breadth, head length, and cephalic index. Racial effects were studied in terms of general racial effect, maternal effect, and hybridity and recombination effects based on a model of diallel cross. Generally, Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, and Filipinos were characterized by longer lateral and smaller anterior-posterior dimensions relative to Caucasians. Maternal effects appeared to be present in the measures of lateral dimension. No clear effects of hybridity and recombination were seen except for bizygomatic diameter, which appears to behave as a partial dominant trait. The racial mean of bizygomatic diameter, or the ratio of this measure to head length, were found to have a relationship with the racial incidences of cleft lip with or without cleft palate.