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Estimation of Living Stature From Selected Anthropometric (Soft Tissue) Measurements: Applications for Forensic Anthropology

NCJ Number
227695
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 54 Issue: 4 Dated: July 2009 Pages: 753-760
Author(s)
Bradley J. Adams Ph.D.; Nicholas P. Hermann Ph.D.
Date Published
July 2009
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This paper provides various formulae that allow for standard anthropometric (i.e., soft tissue) measurements to be used instead of skeletal measurements in estimating a person's living stature.
Abstract
Based on the results of this study, anthropometric measurements of certain body portions are suitable for estimating living stature and are applicable to forensic contexts within the United States. Use of these regression models removes the need for soft tissue dissections in order to obtain skeletal measures. The results achieved were of comparable accuracy to skeletal measurements. There was a marked difference in the anthropometric regression models, however, that the researchers believe is largely due to the type of measurement equipment used in the data-collection process. The data collected with the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) used a tape measure that was extended along the body. The U.S. Army Anthropometric Survey (ANSUR), on the other hand, was collected with calipers. It is apparent that body mass index (BMI) has an effect on the NHANES data, likely skewing measurements when significant amounts of adipose tissue are present. Another contributing factor may be the sample compositions of the NHANES and ANSUR studies. For the NHANES group, there appears to be greater dispersion around the sample's mean stature than was observed with the ANSUR group. This suggests greater variability in stature among the NHANES participants. The NHANES has been an ongoing study conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics since the 1960s. A subsample of the NHANES data was extracted from studies conducted between 1999 and 2006. Only data that pertained to 14,548 adults between the ages of 18 and 50 years old were selected. Models based on anthropometric studies of active duty U.S. Army personnel were reproduced from the ANSUR report. 7 tables, 4 figures, and 47 references