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A new measure of growth efficiency: Skull base height
Author(s) -
Angel J. Lawrence
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
american journal of physical anthropology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.146
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1096-8644
pISSN - 0002-9483
DOI - 10.1002/ajpa.1330580308
Subject(s) - measure (data warehouse) , skull , base (topology) , geology , geodesy , computer science , mathematics , paleontology , data mining , mathematical analysis
Skull base height increases significantly with better nutrition and health conditions, as seen in comparing 163 nineteenth to twentieth century dissecting‐room skeletons (Terry Collection) with 237 modern American middle‐class adults (forensic and willed skeletons). The increase parallels the change in pelvic inlet depth index, known to respond sensitively to nutrition, and in stature, and is over six times greater than the general skull size change. Skull base height (porion‐basion) is easy to measure with depth gauge and sliding caliper, or by subtraction, and is in adults a sensitive indicator of childhood growth stress.