Anthropometry

Definition of anthropometry

  • Measurement of the body size, weight and physical proportions (Lee and Nieman, 1996)
  • Measurement of the variations of the physical dimensions  and the gross composition of the human body at different age levels and degree of nutrition (Jelliffe, 1966 In: Gibson, 2005)“Measurements of the human body”

Classification of anthropometric assessments

Body size incl. growth indices

  • Body size (Weight,Length, Height, Mid Upper Arm Circumference(MUAC), Head circumference, Triceps and sub-scapular skinfolds).
  • Growth indices:
  1. Weight-for-age
  2. Weight-for-height
  3. Height-for-age
  4. BMI-for-age
  5. Head-circumference-for-age
  6. MUAC-for-age
  7. Triceps-skinfold-for-age
  8. Subscapular-skinfold-for-age

Body composition :

  • Fat mass
  • Fat-free mass