6/10/2021

Tooba Zaidi
BS-Nutrition, Semester V
SPH-DUHS

Anthropometric Measurements

 By the end of this session students will be able to:

◦ Understand when and how to take different anthropometric

measurements in a proper way

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 Anthropometry is :
“the scientific study of the measurements and
proportions of the human body”

• It involves obtaining physical measurements of an individual and

relating them to standards that reflect the growth and development
of the individual

• Anthropometry is used to monitor the effects of nutrition

intervention

• There is a proper technique via which the measurements should

taken.

• A trained professional should be conducting the measurements

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• It can take more than 20 practice sessions to become proficient in

obtaining anthropometric measurements accurately

• Anthropometric data are most valuable when they reflect accurate

measurements and are recorded over a period of time.

• Valuable measurements are height, weight, skin-fold thicknesses,

and girth measurements

• Head circumference and length are commonly used in pediatric

populations

• Birth weight and ethnic, familial, and environmental factors affect

these parameters and should be taken into consideration when
anthropometric measures are evaluated

Frame size

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 • Weight • Pectoral 6/10/2021
••Wrist Bioelectric
• BMI Stature •Body circumference
Abdomen circumference
impedence
area • Elbow breath
• IBW • Mid Axilla analysis machine
• %IBW • Quadriceps
• Height ••Waist
Triceps
• Arm span circumference
• Subscapular 6
• Hip circumference 7

• Supraiiliac
• Waist to hip ratio
• MUAC

 It is the measurement of

someone or something from

head to foot or from base to top

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 Stadiometer is used to measure
stature in subject aged 2 years 6/10/2021
and older.

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• Stretch arms out

from the body at a
90° angle
• The distance from
the tip of the
middle finger on
the right hand to
the tip of the
middle finger on
the left hand
• It is extremely
useful for
measuring height
in bed ridden patients, because arm span to height ratio is one
to one
• This means that a person's arm span is about equal to their
height

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 Waist circumference is used to assess central fat

distribution and degree of abdominal obesity.

 Measurement is taken in centimeters using a

standardized measurement technique.

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 Locate the top of the hip bone (iliac crest)

and take the measurement just above this
bony landmark, just where one finger can
fit between the iliac crest and the lowest
rib
 Ensure that the tape measure is
positioned horizontally, parallel to the
floor whether the umbilicus is above or
below the tape

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 Ensure that the patient is standing straight

and has relaxed the abdominal muscles
 Measurement is taken at the end of
normal expiration
 Aim to have a comfortable but not too
tight a fit of the tape measure around your
waist, do not make compressions in the
skin with the tape measure

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 Hip circumference is used to measure waist and hip ratio.

 It is taken at the maximum circumference over the
buttocks.
 Measurement is taken in centimeters using a standardized
measurement technique.

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 Ensure that the patient is standing

straight with the arms relaxed at sides
 Identify the widest part of the
buttocks.
 Then place the tape measure at this
location and measure around the
circumference of your hips and
buttocks.

 WHR is an important tool

that helps to determine
your overall health risk.
 It is a simple and useful
measure of fat
distribution.

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Type of Obesity Male Female

Android (upper body obesity or apple shape) >0.9 >0.8

Gynecoid (lower body obesity or lower shape) <0.9 <0.8
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 Reflects skeletal muscle, bone,

and subcutaneous fat
 Not sensitive to changes in
skeletal muscle
 Quick and easy screening
method with right tools
available

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MUAC Classification
Children < 5 years : <11.5 cm Severe acute 6/10/2021
Children 5- 9 years: <13.5 cm malnutrition
Children 10-14 years: <16 cm
Adults: <18 cm
Children <5 years: <12.5 cm Acute malnutrition
Children 5-9 years: 13.5-14.5 cm
Children 10-14 years: 16 to 18 cm 22

Adults: 18-21 cm
Children <5 years: >12.5 cm Normal
Children 5-9 years: >14.5 cm
Children 10-14 years: >18 cm
Adults: >21 cm

• Frame size is calculated by using wrist and height

measurements.

• How to measure:
◦ The standard method is to measure the circumference of your
wrist just above the bone.

• Required equipment:
◦ Measuring tape

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Frame Size Calculation:

R= Height (cm)
Wrist circumference (cm)

Frame Size Interpretation

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Male Female

Small ≥10.4 ≥11.0

Medium 9.9-10.4 10.1-11.0

Large ≤9.6 ≤10.1

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• Frame size can also be calculated by measuring the breadth

of your elbow. This method tends to be more accurate
than the wrist method, but it is a little more complex.

• How to measure:
1. Extend your arm forward so that it is horizontal and parallel to the
ground.
2. Bend your elbow so your forearm is at 90º to the ground. Elbow
measurement diagram.
3. Place the forefinger and thumb of your other hand on either side of your
elbow joint.
4. Use your forefinger and thumb as a gauge to determine your elbow
breadth by measuring the gap between them with a ruler.

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• Required equipment for measuring elbow breadth

• Measuring tapes or calipers

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Formula:
FS= Elbow breadth (mm) x 100
Height (cm)

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• The term human

body weight is

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used casually and in the

biological and medical sciences it
refer to a person's mass

• Your weight when combined with

your height is an indication of your overall health

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• Remove the shoes and extra

clothing

• Stand in the center of the scale

platform

• Hands at sides

• looking straight ahead.

• Record the reading once the digital measurement device

becomes stable

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 Digital weight scale

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• It is a value derived from the mass

(weight) and height of an individual.
• The BMI is defined as the body mass
divided by the square of the body
height
• BMI universally expressed in units of
kg/m 2, resulting from mass in kilograms
and height in meters

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http://www.philspenonlinejournal.com/POJ_0005.html

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 Rule of thumb or Hamvi method:

• For Women: 100 pounds of a weight for 5 feet, with 5
additional pound for every added inch of height

• For Men: 106 pounds of a weight for 5 feet, with 6

additional pound for every added inch of height

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 Men (data 6 feet 2 inches) or (187.96 cm)

106Ib for 5ft + 6Ib per inch over 5ft
IBW= 190Ibs or 86.3 kg

 Women (data 5 feet 8 inches)

100Ib for 5ft +5Ib per inch over 5ft
IBW= 140Ibs or 63.6 kg)

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%IBW= Current Weight/ Ideal Weight x 100

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%IBW Interpretation IBW Interpretation
6/10/2021

>200 Morbid obese 80-90 Mild

malnutrition
130-199 Obese 70-79 Moderate 36

malnutrition
110-129 Overweight <69
Severe
 Estimates the amount of subcutaneous adipose
malnutrition
stores in the body
 It vary
with clients age, sex and race

 The tester pinches the skin at the location site and

pulls the fold of skin away from the underlying
muscle so only the skin and fat tissue are being held.
 Special skinfold calipers are then used to measure
the skinfold thickness in millimeters.
 Two measurements are recorded and averaged.

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 The measurement sites vary depending upon the

specific skinfold testing protocol being used, but
typically include the following seven locations on the
body:

◦ Pectoral: The mid-chest, just forward of the armpit

◦ Abdomen: Next to the belly button
◦ Mid Axilla: Midline of
the side of the torso

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◦ Quadriceps: Middle of the upper thigh

◦ Triceps: The back of the upper arm
◦ Subscapular: Beneath the edge of the shoulder blade
◦ Supraiiliac: Just above the iliac crest of the hip bone

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Pectoral Abdomen

Mid Axilla Quadriceps

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Triceps
Subscapular

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Supraiiliac

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 Sum of three skin fold thickness measurement

sites:A+B+C= ______
 For Example:

If the skinfold measurements for 18 year old female are

A. Triceps= 16
B. Supraiilium= 4 Total=50
C. Quadriceps =30
Skin Fold Thickness: 16+4+30= 50
Find out her body fat percentage by looking at table
? ______

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Principles and Labs

for Physical Fitness
By Wener

Hoeger, Sharon Hoeger Principles and

Labs for Physical
Fitness
By Wener
Hoeger, Sharon
Hoeger

 Answer:
Percent body fat = 20.6%

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Now Interpret her body fat composition according

to the percent body fat

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 28year old female weighs 65 kg’s has sum of

three skinfold measure is 69. Her height is 140 cm
 Determine her percent body fat
 Determine her lean body mass
 What is the interpretation according to her body fat
percentage?
 Determine and interpret her BMI

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• Estimates body composition, largely due to its portability

• Measures the impedance of an electrical current that passes through

the body to estimate total body water, fat free mass, fat mass, and
body cell mass

• Found valid in healthy individuals

• Should be used in conjunction with other methods such as waistto-

hip ratio or MAC

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• study.com/academy/.../what-is-anthropometric-measurementtools-
purpose-methods.htm...

• Williams. S. R, Nutritional in Diet Therapy. 2ndedition.

• http://www.cutthewaist.com/measuring.html

• https://www.verywellfit.com/calculate-body-fat-by-
measuringskinfolds-3120273

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