diff --git a/Surface_mesh_simplification/examples/Surface_mesh_simplification/gh_statistics.cpp b/Surface_mesh_simplification/examples/Surface_mesh_simplification/gh_statistics.cpp
index 26c838687f4..0904636e0ad 100644
--- a/Surface_mesh_simplification/examples/Surface_mesh_simplification/gh_statistics.cpp
+++ b/Surface_mesh_simplification/examples/Surface_mesh_simplification/gh_statistics.cpp
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #include <iostream>
 #include <fstream>
 #include <vector>
+#include <functional>
 #include <boost/histogram.hpp>
 #include <boost/format.hpp>
 #include <CGAL/Polygon_mesh_processing/measure.h>
@@ -22,6 +23,8 @@ typedef Kernel::FT                                              FT;
 typedef Kernel::Point_3                                         Point_3;
 typedef CGAL::Surface_mesh<Point_3>                             Surface_mesh;
 
+typedef typename boost::graph_traits<Surface_mesh>::edge_descriptor edge_descriptor;
+
 namespace SMS = CGAL::Surface_mesh_simplification;
 namespace PMP = CGAL::Polygon_mesh_processing;
 
@@ -47,22 +50,21 @@ void print_hist(histo h)
   std::cout << os.str() << std::endl;
 }
 
-hist edge_length_histo(Surface_mesh mesh)
+hist generate_statistics(Surface_mesh mesh, hist histo, std::function<FT(edge_descriptor, 
+      const Surface_mesh&)> f)
 {
-  using namespace boost::histogram;
-  hist histo = make_histogram(axis::regular<>(14, 0.1, 4.0, "length"));
-  
   for (auto e : mesh.edges())
   {
-    FT length = PMP::edge_length(mesh.halfedge(e), mesh);
-    histo(length);
+    FT value = f(e, mesh); //PMP::edge_length(mesh.halfedge(e), mesh); 
+    histo(value);
   }
-  
+
   return histo;
 }
 
 template<typename Policy>
-hist edge_length_histo(Surface_mesh mesh, Policy p)
+hist generate_statistics(Surface_mesh mesh, Policy p, 
+    hist histo, std::function<FT(edge_descriptor, const Surface_mesh&)> f)
 {
   typedef typename Policy::Get_cost Cost; 
   typedef typename Policy::Get_placement Placement;
@@ -82,7 +84,7 @@ hist edge_length_histo(Surface_mesh mesh, Policy p)
   SMS::edge_collapse(mesh, stop,
       CGAL::parameters::get_cost(cost).get_placement(placement));
   
-  return edge_length_histo(mesh);
+  return generate_statistics(mesh, histo, f);
 }
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv)
@@ -102,24 +104,27 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
     return EXIT_FAILURE;
   }
 
+  using namespace boost::histogram;
+  hist edge_histo = make_histogram(axis::regular<>(14, 0.1, 4.0, "length"));
+  
+  auto edge_length = [] (edge_descriptor e, const Surface_mesh& mesh) { 
+    return PMP::edge_length(mesh.halfedge(e), mesh);
+  };
+  
   std::cout << "Original mesh histogram:\n";
-  print_hist(edge_length_histo(surface_mesh));
-  
+  print_hist(generate_statistics(surface_mesh, edge_histo, edge_length));
+
   std::cout << "Decimated probabilistic mesh histogram:\n";
-  print_hist(edge_length_histo<SMS::GarlandHeckbert_probabilistic_policies<Surface_mesh, Kernel>>
-    (surface_mesh, {surface_mesh, 100}));
-  
-  std::cout << "Decimated probabilistic tri mesh histogram:\n";
-  print_hist(edge_length_histo<SMS::GarlandHeckbert_probabilistic_tri_policies<Surface_mesh, Kernel>>
-    (surface_mesh, {surface_mesh, 100}));
+  print_hist(generate_statistics<SMS::GarlandHeckbert_probabilistic_policies<Surface_mesh, Kernel>>
+      (surface_mesh, {surface_mesh, 100}, edge_histo, edge_length));
 
   std::cout << "Decimated classic mesh histogram:\n";
-  print_hist(edge_length_histo<SMS::GarlandHeckbert_policies<Surface_mesh, Kernel>>
-    (surface_mesh, {surface_mesh, 100}));
-  
+  print_hist(generate_statistics<SMS::GarlandHeckbert_policies<Surface_mesh, Kernel>>
+      (surface_mesh, {surface_mesh, 100}, edge_histo, edge_length));
+
   std::cout << "Decimated classic tri mesh histogram:\n";
-  print_hist(edge_length_histo<SMS::GarlandHeckbert_triangle_policies<Surface_mesh, Kernel>>
-    (surface_mesh, {surface_mesh, 100}));
-  
+  print_hist(generate_statistics<SMS::GarlandHeckbert_triangle_policies<Surface_mesh, Kernel>>
+      (surface_mesh, {surface_mesh, 100}, edge_histo, edge_length));
+
   return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 }