title: Sexual dimorphism of the craniofacial region in a South Indian population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To the best of our knowledge, the sexually dimorphic characteristics of the craniofacial region among the South Indian population are not available in the current literature. We aimed to determine these characteristics using discriminant function analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 80 recent skulls (40 male, 40 female) from the Department of Anatomy, Yenepoya Medical College, Yenepoya University, Karnataka, India, were analysed. Ten craniofacial parameters were measured and subjected to univariate and multivariate statistical analyses using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 13.0.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistical analyses revealed that the differences in the bizygomatic, orbital and biorbital breadths of males and females were significant (p < 0.05). Direct method gave an accuracy of 68.8% for sex determination. In stepwise analysis, bizygomatic breadth and upper facial height were selected, giving a 65.0% accuracy for sex prediction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Craniofacial parameters are sexually dimorphic. The present study established several features of craniofacial morphometry that can be used for sex determination among the South Indian population. The findings of the present study serve as a foundation for future studies that aim to compare craniofacial parameters among various ethnic groups in South India.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Yenepoya Medical College, Yenepoya University, India.
authors.forename: Hema
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nidugala
authors.forename: Chandana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bhargavi
authors.forename: Ramakrishna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Avadhani
authors.forename: Bhagya
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bhaskar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D054881:Sex Determination by Skeleton / Q000379:methods*; D012886:Skull / Q000033:anatomy & histology*