International Journal of Medicine and Public health [Int. J. Med. Public health] | Vol 2 | Issue 2 | 2012 46 SHORT COMMUNICATIONS IJMEDPH Comparative Anthropometric Study of Nasal Parameters between Two Ethnic Groups of Rajasthan State Anju Choudhary, DS Chowdhary Department of Anatomy, M.G. Medical College & Hospital, Sitapura, industrial area, Jaipur Address for correspondence: Anju Choudhary B-175, Shankar Nagar Behind 25th sector, Jodhpur (Raj.) 342001 Mobile: 09828946500 E-mail: anjuchoudhary999@gmail.com DOI: 10.5530/ijmedph.2.2.10 Background & objectives: Human physical variability has been a subject of interest for the scientists since a very long time. Being a powerful descriptive means of the human face, anthropometric nasal landmarks are used to compare two groups of population. Method: Anthropometric study of nasal parameters of two ethnic groups of Rajasthan state was carried out on 200 native respondents. Hundred were Jats and hundred were Sindhis. The age of subjects ranged from 19–25 years. Nasal height and nasal breadth were taken by using spreading calliper and the nasal index calculated. Results: The data collected was statically analysed and the result shows that mean nasal height for Jats and Sindhis were 56.42±3.70 & 55.84±4.61 respectively. Nasal breadth for Jats and Sindhis were found as 38.42±2.86 & 39.24±3.38 respectively. Conclusion: Thus the Jats fall within Leptorrhine type with nasal index 68.09 and Sindhis fall within the Mesorrhine type with nasal index 70.72 that showed significant relationship. Study is providing a useful baseline and an anthropometric data that will be of clinical and surgical interest. Key words: nasal height; nasal breadth; nasal index ABSTRACT clue to racial origin. 5 The nasal index is very useful in anthropology as it is one of the clinical anthropometric parameters recognized in nasal surgery and medical management. 6,7 Regional and environmental climatic conditions are useful in determining the shape of the nose which may vary across different races & environments. 8 The aim of this study was to compare the nasal indices of Jat and Sindhi males of Rajasthan State and to provide a baseline data of nasal indices, which could be vital in foresenic medicine, anthropological studies, and clinical practice especially in nasal surgery. Nasal analysis is the first step a surgeon takes before performing rhinoplasty. MATERIAL AND METHOD The present study was carried in the department of Anatomy, Dr Sampurnanand medical College and associated group of hospitals, Jodhpur. A total of 200 healthy adult individuals (100 Jat Male and 100 Sindhi Male) volunteered for the anthropometric study age ranging between 19–25 years. All the 200 subjects are having normal facial skeleton and not having INTRODUCTION Anthropometry provides scientific methods and techniques for taking various measurements and observation on the living man and the skeleton. Anthropometric studies are an integral part of craniofacial surgery and syndromology. Raymond Edler et al. 1 used anthropometric proportion indices for the measurement of facial attractiveness. Symons 2 in 1979 found that facial proportions tend to be relatively near to the mean of the population within their racial group. Anthropometric studies play an important role in distinguishing a pure race from the local mingling of races. 3,4 The nose is widely acceptable as one of the best