Footprints of children in Bangkok.

ABSTRACT

A total of 4,371 children, 2,220 boys and 2,151 girls, age ranging from one month to 18 years, in Bangkok were studied during 1985-1986. The studies of footprints included age, sex, height and weight. The footprint was measured the length of a tip of big toe to sole. It was found that the footprint was correlated with age (r = 0.91), height (r = 0.97) weight (r = 0.86). During the infancy period the growth of footprint was fast corresponded to height, weight, then gradually increase, and showed a spurt during puberty period prior to height and weight spurt. The footprint could predict the age, height and weight. The average male and female adult footprint was 26 and 23 cm respectively, which was double the average footprint at the age of 1 year 6 months in boys and 1 year 2 months in girls. The measurements of footprints may be valuable in predicting other parameters in anthropometry.