Does obesity affect the accuracy of age-at-death estimation using the pubic symphysis and auricular surface?

This study examines whether obesity affects the accuracy of estimating age-at-death as measured by the age-related changes of the pubic symphysis and auricular surfaces. I scored the hip bones of 119 adults of normal body mass and 126 obese adults (total n = 254) using the SucheyBrooks (1990) method for the pubic symphysis and the Buckberry and Chamberlain (2002) method for the auricular surface. Compared to normal weight individuals, obese individuals exhibited greater inaccuracy in age-at-death estimates when aged from the auricular surface, but not the pubic symphysis. However, age was estimated with less precision in obese individuals using both methods. Obese males are more likely to be aged inaccurately than obese females. The pubic symphysis method may be the preferred method when estimating age in obese individuals, especially males, but forensic anthropologists should use caution when assessing age-at-death in obese adults using either method.