Relationship between Somatotype and Cephalofacial Anthropometry among Adolescents of Ngamo Ethnic Group of Fika Local Government Area of Yobe State, Nigeria

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Cephalofacial anthropometry is very important in surgery and syndro­mology. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between cephalofacial anthropometry and somatotype among adolescents of Ngamo lineage in Fika Local Government Area of Yobe State.

METHODOLOGY: The sample size for the study was 391 subjects comprising male (196) and female (195) subjects with mean age 15.46 ± 1.82 from selected secondary schools in Fika Local Government. The design was cross sectional and participants were classified into three basic somatotypes; endomorph, mesomorph and ectomorph. Cephalic, facial and nasal anthropometric variables were measured using standard protocol. Spearman’s correlation was used to determine the relationship between somatotype and cephalofacial anthropometry, stepwise logistic regression analysis was deployed to predict somatotype components from cephalofacial parameters.

RESULTS: Significant sexual dimorphism was found in somatotype components and cephalofacial anthropometry. A significant correlation was found between some cephalofacial measurements and somatotype components, somatotype components were significantly predicted from cephalofacial parameters and facial breadth was the best predictor.

CONCLUSION: A relationship was found between somatotype and cephalofacial parameters among adolescents of Ngamo tribe of Fika LGA, Yobe state, Nigeria.