Nasal index of the Tharu and Mongoloid population of Nepal: A cross sectional study

Abstract

The nasal index measurement is one of the methods anthropologists have used to differentiate living race and subspecies of man. Ethnic influences can result in different appearances of the nose and can be found in many shapes and sizes. A total number of 1000 healthy people (500 males and 500 females) aged between 25-45 years belonging to pure race of Tharu and Mongoloid communities were participated in the study. The nasal index was calculated as (Nasal height / Nasal Breadth) × 100 and their significance was tested by Student t-test. Results - Nasal index among the Mongoloid male and female were 74.6 and 75.9 respectively and the Tharu male and female were 83.8 and 82.4 respectively (p < 0.05). The result of this study revealed significant difference in Nasal index and in Nasal height (P < 0.05) of male and female of Tharu and Mongoloid ethnic races. The study revealed the racial as well as sexual dimorphism pattern in nasal ergonomics in this ethnic group. The sex and ethnicity had considerable effect nasal ergonomics related anthropometric measurements.