Body Mass Index, Hand Length and Foot Length Morphometry of the Okrika People in Rivers State, Nigeria

This study was carried out to determine the Body Mass Index (BMI) of the Okrika ethnic group of Rivers State, Nigeria, while also assessing potential sexual dimorphism and ethnic variations in BMI, foot length, and hand length. A total of 375 subjects participated in the study. The mean weight of males (71.36±12.24 kg) was significantly higher than that of females (65.52±13.96 kg) (p<0.05). Similarly, hand length was greater in males (18.83±2.04 cm) than in females (17.48±2.03 cm) (p<0.05). Foot length followed the same trend, with males measuring 25.26±2.70cm and females 23.88±2.34 cm (p<0.05). However, BMI values for males (23.11±4.53) and females (23.34±5.24) showed no significant difference (p>0.05). The mean height was significantly higher in males (176.38±12.46 cm) than in females (168.03±12.25 cm) (p<0.05). These findings provide baseline anthropometric data specific to the Okrika ethnic group of Rivers State, Nigeria, which will be valuable to biomedical technologists, clinicians, and forensic anthropologists. The study also emphasizes the importance of population-specific data in clinical assessments and suggests further research on BMI variations among other Nigerian ethnic groups.