Estimation of human physique in forensic anthropological cases

Abstract

Human physique has been ignored in forensic field up to date, but for a reliable identification it is without doubt of importance. The main aim of the present study is to examine whether it is possible to estimate the somatotype components from anthropometric measurements and/or proportions and to evaluate its use in forensic anthropology. The study was held on 220 healthy male subjects aged between 18.05-62.52 years. After anthropometric measurements had been taken, somatotypes of each individual were rated by Heath-Carter technique. Additionally, some proportional variables were also evaluated. Of 220 subjects randomly selected 170 were accepted as calibration group and the remaining 50 as validation group. Regression equations were established to estimate somatotype components depending on the measurements taken from the calibration group by stepwise regression model and tested on the validation group. The results of our statistical analysis indicate that proportional variables are better predictors for somatotype components than direct anthropometric measurements. The ratios of knee, hip and elbow breadth over body height are the best indicator respectively for body typology. On the other hand, when the anthropometric measurements were evaluated knee breadth was observed to be the best indicator for somatotype prediction. Mesomorphy is the somatotype component that could be estimated with a maximum reliability, followed by ectomorphy and endomorphy. The tests on the validation group shows that somatotype components could be estimated with an estimation error about one unit. As a conclusion, our findings indicate that body typology could be estimated depending on anthropometric measurements or ratios and used for identification in forensic field.

Keywords

• Forensic anthropology,human physique,body typology,somatotype estimation,anthropometry,body proportions

References

1. Cameron N, Hiernaux J, Jarman S, Marshall WA, Tanner JM, Whitehouse RH. (1981) Anthropometry. In: Weiner JS, Lourie JA, editors. Practical human biology. London: Academic Press, p 25-52.