STUDY OF CEPHALIC INDEX IN NEPALESE MEDICAL STUDENTS   Pandey  N * 1 , Jha CB 1 , Yadav G 1 , Sah SK 2 , Yadav P 1 , Awasthi J 1 . *1  Department of Anatomy, BPKIHS,  Dharan, Nepal. 2  Lecturer in the Department of Anatomy, NMCTH, Biratnagar, Nepal.   Corresponding   Author:    Dr.   Nivedita   Pandey,    MD   Anatomy,   Assistant   Professor,   Department   of   Anatomy,   BPKIHS,   Dharan,   Ghopa,   Sunsari   18,   Nepal.   Phone No.: 025-525555,Extension-2495 & 3193(R), Mobile-00-977-9804352325. E-Mail : niparo8@gmail.com ABSTRACT: Background:   Anthropometr  y   as   a   subject    i s    helpful   in   getting   measurement s    o f   living    subject s    fo r   identifyin g    various   dimension s    like   gender,   age ,   stature    etc.    relate d    t o   particula r   individual   or   a   rac e.    Cephalic   i ndex    is    calculated   as   the   r atio   of    the   m a x  i m u m    bre a dth   of   head   t o    its   m a xi m u m    lengt h   and can be helpful while investigating for gender or r  a c  i al    d i fference. Objective:  To estimate cephalic i ndex    of healthy adult students of a medical university in eastern part of Nepal. Materials   and   Methods:    This   cross   sectional   study   was   carried   on   292   adult   students   (158    male    &   134 female)   pursuing   different   courses   at    B.P. Koirala   institute   of   Health   sciences   (BPKIHS),   Dharan,   Nepal.    Head   length   and   head   breadth   was   measured   for   each   student.   All   the   measurements   were taken by using standard measuring devices and applying standard anthropometric techniques. Results:   The     mean     cephalic    i ndex    for   male    was    75.82  and    for    female    was   78.36.   The    difference    between   male    and    female    heads   cephalic    i ndex   was  2.54.    Conclusion:   Cephalic   index   of    the   female   students   is   approximately   3.35   %   higher     than    the   male   students    in    present   study.   This    study   may    serve    as   basis    of    comparison for    future    studies    and this data is expected to be of clinical, forensic and anthropological significance. KEY WORDS:  Anthropometry, cephalic index,  head length, head breadth. References 1 . Williams   PL,   Bannister   LH,   Dyson   M,   Collin,   Dussek   JE   and   Ferguson   JWM.   Gray’s   Anatomy,   38th   Edn,   Chur-chill   Livingstone,   Edinburgh,   London 1995:609-12. 2 . Golalipour, MJ. The effect of ethnic factor on cephalic index in 17-20 yrs old females of North of Iran. Int. J. morphol. 2006;24(3):319-322. 3 . Krishan K. Anthropometry in Forensic Medicine and Forensic Science: Forensic anthropometry. Int J Forensic Sci 2007;2(1):1. 4 . Allanson   JE,   Cunniffic,   Hoyme   HE.   McGaughram   J,   Muenke   M,   Nen   G.   Elements   of   morphology.   Standard   terminology   for   the   head   and   face.   Am   J   Med Genet. 2009;1494(1):6-28. 5 . Kondo   S,   Wakatsuki   E   and   Shibagaki   HA.   Somatometric   study   of   the   head   and   face   in   Japanese   adolescence.   Okajimas   Folia   Anat   Jpn.   1999;76(4):179- 85. 6 . Bhargava I and Kher GA. A comparative anthropometric study of Bhils and Barelas of Central India. J Anat Soc India 1961;10:26-33. 7 . Arslan   SG,   Gen   CC,   Odabas   B,   Kama   JD.   Comparison   of   face   proportions   and   anthropometric   norms   among   young   adults.   Aesthetic   Plast   Surg. 2008;32(2):234-42. 8 . Yagain VK, Pai SR, Kalthur SG, Chetan P, Hemlatha I. Study of Cephalic Index in Indian Students. Int J Morphol 2012;30(1):125-129. 9 . Shah GV, Jadhav HR.The study of cephalic index in students of Gujarat. J. Anat. Soc. India 2004;53(1):25-26. 1 0 . Lob o    SW ,    C h a nd rase k h a r    T S , K u m a r    S . C e ph ali c i  ndex    of    G u r  ung co mm un it  y of    N epa l  - A n an t  h r opo m e tri  c    s t  ud y .    K a t  m andu    U n i  v  Med    J 2005;3:26 3  - 5. 1 1 . Salve VM,Thota NR, Patibandla A. The study of cephalic index of Andhra region (India). Asian Journal of Medical Sciences 2011;2:53-55. 12. Gupta S, Patnaik V, Gopichand V, Kaushal S, Chhabra S,  Garsa V. Cranial Anthropometry in 600 North Indian Adults. Int J Anat Res, 2013;02:115-18.