Fluctuating asymmetry of human morphometric features as a marker of developmental instability caused by adverse environmental conditions.

The present study supports the hypothesis that asymmetry increases as socioeconomic status decreases and air pollution levels increase. Differences in asymmetry, depending on environmental factors, socioeconomic status (SES) and air quality, were in most cases greater in men than in women. The results confirm that variable asymmetry is a sensitive indicator of an individual's exposure to unfavorable environmental factors during ontogenesis. Moreover, the results of the conducted research suggest that environmental factors may influence the structure of the human body, and irreversible morphological alterations are the result of unfavorable conditions occurring in the early stages of biological development.