Somatometry of the head, face, body height and body weight was performed to comparatively examine the differences in Japanese and Chinese children. The subjects consisted of 1069 boys and girls (530 Japanese and 539 Chinese) ranging in age from two to six years. The Martin system was employed for the measurement. The following results were obtained:
In the frontal aspect of the face, the en-en and ex-ex distances showed no age-related differences in both the Japanese and Chinese children. In the Japanese children, the gn point was markedly developed inferiorly with age. On the other hand, the Chinese children had less inferior development of the gn point. In the lateral aspect, the t-go distance was not noticeably increased with age in the Japanese children. In the Chinese children, the t-go distance was markedly developed inferiorly. These differences began to grow pronounced from three years of age. The facial profile in the Japanese children was configurationally characterized by a remarkable anteroinferior inclination of the mandibular base and that in the Chinese children by the small gonial angle and flat mandibular base. The Japanese children had a distinct tendency of having a shorter face compared to those of 30 years ago. The body height and weight of the Japanese children were larger than those of the Chinese children at any age over three years. This seemed to be attributable to differences in the current social environment between Japan and China.
