Dermatoglyphic Patterns of Obese versus Normal-Weight Nigerian Individuals

The aim of this study was to determine the dermatoglyphic features of obese patients from the Ibibio ethnic group. One hundred individuals were examined: 50 obese (20 male and 30 female) and 50 normal (25 male and 25 female) subjects. Dermatoglyphic features such as digital and total ridge counts, DAT (angle formed by the triradius below the index finger) and ATD (angle formed by the triradius close to the wrist of the hand) were assessed. The results showed that on digital prints, the arch pattern was most common on the first right digits of obese males (54.5%) and females (42.33%), while in normal individuals, an ulnar loop was seen more frequently (P < 0.05, chi-square test). The ATD and DAT angles on the right hands of both male and female obese patients were significantly greater than those of normal male and female subjects (P < 0.05, z-test). This study therefore showed that certain dermatoglyphic patterns are associated with obesity among the Ibibio population of Nigeria. The potential utility of these dermatoglyphic patterns in identifying individuals at high risk for obesity may be considered in future studies.