Nutr. Ass. Revision: Anthropometry

Define anthropometry

Measurement of physical dimensions and gross composition of the body

What is the difference between standard and reference?

• Standard: international, same techniques and tools used around world (higher quality data)

• Reference: Lower quality data, tools and techniques differ from place to place

What does calibrate mean?

To use known measure to check an instrument’s accuracy & reliability

What are the 4 building blocks of anthropometry?

• Age

• Sex

• Weight

• Height/length

Age groups

• Infancy (0-3)

• Child & adolescence (3-18)

• Adulthood

• Old adults (+65)

What are the most useful measurements for infants?

• Weight

• Recumbent length

• Head circumference

• BMI

What other measurements can we take for infants and why?

• Skinfold (subcutaneous adipose tissue)

• Middle arm circumference (muscle)

What are the most useful measurements for children and adolescents?

• Weight

• Height

• BMI

• Additional: skinfold & MUAC

What are the most useful measurements for adults?

• Height

• Weight

• BMI

• Additional: MUAC, skinfold, waist circumference

What do we use to measure an infant’s length and at which age?

Infantometer (0-2 years or as long as the child cannot stand on their own yet)

What is crown rump length?

Recumbent length of fetus in womb. Take from head (crown) to buttocks (rump)

Another term for BMI

Quetelet’s index

Formula for BMI

(kg)/(m)²

Why is the size of error large when measuring infants and children?

They are small; a decimal change can have a significant impact

Explain the difference between android and gynoid fat distribution

• Android:

  • Seen more in males

  • Central fat

  • Higher risk of chronic diseases

• Gynoid:

  • Seen more in females

  • Waist around hips & thighs

  • Lower risk of chronic diseases

What are the 4 common sites to measure waist circumference?

• Below lowest rib

• At the narrowest waist

• Midpoint of lowest rib & above iliac crest (WHO)

• Above iliac crest (NHANES III)

How to find midpoint to take MUAC?

• Mark tip of acromion process

• Mark tip of olecranon process

• Divide measurement by 2 and mark

What does the arm circumference consist of?

• Skin

• Muscle

• Adipose

• Bone

What are the different ways to measure body composition?

• Skinfold

• Underwater weighing

• Air displacement plethysmography

• Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)

What tool do we use to measure skinfold and how to use it?

• Holtain Tanner/Whitehouse caliper

• Hand goes anti-clockwise

• 0.2 increments

• Fully open and close jaws

• 1 inch away from fingers

• 90 degree angle

What are the skinfold sites?

• Tricep

• Bicep

• Subscapular

• Suprailiac

What is the normal body fat % for males and females?

• Males: 6-15% or 16-24%

• Females: 9-23% or 24-31%