CRANIAL DIMENSION AS PREDICTORS OF STATURE: A FORENSIC ANTHROPOMETRIC STUDY IN RAJASTHAN

Background: Anthropometric relationships between stature and cranial dimensions are useful in forensic identification,biological anthropology, and clinical practice. Population-specific datasets and models are required because these relationshipsvary across genders and populations. The objective is to assess the correlation between stature and maximum cranial lengthand breadth, and to derive gender-specific simple linear regression equations for predicting stature among young adults.Materials and Methods: The study involved 600 healthy young adults in the age range of 18-22 years (300 males and 300females) from Pacific Medical University, Udaipur. The height of the subject was measured as vertex-to-heel height using astadiometer. Data were analysed on Microsoft Excel with the help of SPSS version 26. An independent samples t-test wasemployed for sex comparison, while Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) and coefficient of determination (r²) were calculated,and simple linear regression was used to develop regression equations for each sex. Results: Males had significantly greaterheight, maximum cranial length, and maximum cranial breadth than females (all p<0.0001). Height showed a significantpositive correlation with maximum cranial length in males (r=0.362, r²=0.131, p<0.0001) and females (r=0.368, r²=0.135,p<0.0001). Height also correlated positively with maximum cranial breadth (males: r=0.229, r²=0.052, p<0.0001; females:r=0.444, r²=0.197, p<0.0001). Sex-specific regression equations were derived for stature prediction using cranial length andbreadth. Conclusion: Stature was significantly and positively associated with maximum cranial length and breadth in bothsexes, though the strength of association was low to moderate