Abstract: The head shape of 4 groups of children from large cities in East Asia w as compared to find a possible relationship between head shape and socioeconomic factors as well as the climate of the habitat in which the subjects live. The subjects are from: Dalian, Quezon City in Manila , Makati in Manila, and Tokyo. The results are:
1. Sex differences. In Dalian, the boys were significantly larger than the girls as for both head length and breadth in all age groups. The same was found at age 12 for head length and ages 8— 12 for head breadth in Tokyo; at ages 7 and 11— 14 for head length and in all age groups except at age 11 in Makati; and at ages 7 and 12 for head length and in all age groups except a t age 10 in QC.
2. Regional differences. Head length was greater until age 12 in QC, Tokyo , M aka ti, and Dalian in descending order, and after age 13 in QC, and Makati and Dalian. Head breadth w as greater until age 12 in Dalian and Tokyo, QC, and M aka ti in that order, and after age 13 in Dalian, QC, and Makati in the boys, whereas in the girls the order w as Dalian, Tokyo and QC, and M aka ti.
3. Head shape ( cephalic index ) . All the children are brachycephal, with the Dalian children being especially hyperbrachycephal.
4. Regression of head breadth to head length. Regression distributions are significantly different among the 4 groups compared. the slope of regression line is the most acute in the Dalian group in both sex es. This suggests that the speed o f head breadth growth relative to head length growth in Dalian children is much mo re accelerated than in Japanese and Philippine children.

Key words: Head length, Head breadth, Cephalic index , Anthropometry , East Asian children