Multivariate statistical analysis for race variation from foot anthropometry in the Malaysian population

Abstract

Dismembered human remains are frequently found in cases of mass disasters and criminal mutilation. In order to establish personal identity, race is among the major categories of the basic biological profile, apart from sex, age, stature, anomalies and pathologies. This is the first systematic study conducted for the assessment of race variations in the Malaysian population from foot measurements. In the present study, 232 Malay (112 males and 120 females) individuals, 213 Chinese (107 males and 106 females) individuals and 204 Indian (102 males and 102 females) individuals (all consenting) who were 20 to 69 years old were randomly selected and their stature, foot length and foot breadth were measured. This study investigated the application of discriminant function analysis, principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis to assess the variations in stature and foot dimensions in the Malay, Chinese and Indian subpopulations in Malaysia. Foot measurements are found to yield important predictive information about an individual's race in the Malaysian population.