Nasal Index as an Anthropometric Parameter in Ethnic and Racial Identification

I Putu Yupindra Pradiptha (Department of ENT- Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Udayana University/Udayana Hospital, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia)
Ni Putu Laksita Kamala Maheswari (Department of ENT- Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Udayana University/Udayana Hospital, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia)

GANESHA MEDICINA
Vol. 6 No. 1 (2026)

Anthropometry is a scientific method for studying physical variations in the human body through the measurement of specific dimensions. One important parameter in anthropometric studies is the nasal index, which is the ratio between the width and the height of the nose, describing differences in nasal morphology between populations. Variations in the nasal index are influenced by geographic and climatic factors, with populations in warmer regions tending to have larger nasal indices (wider noses), while populations in cooler regions tend to have smaller nasal indices (narrower noses). Knowledge of the nasal index has broad implications, ranging from anthropology and forensics for individual identification to clinical practices such as rhinoplasty and the diagnosis of dysmorphic syndromes. Understanding variations in the nasal index is also useful in tracking human migration patterns, environmental adaptation, and their potential association with respiratory disorders. Thus, the study of the nasal index is a crucial aspect of understanding human biological diversity and its applications in the medical and social sciences.