Anthropometric measurements in adults:

  

Following anthropometric measurements are commonly employed for the assessment of nutritional status in adults

Anthropometric measurements are a series of quantitative measurements of the muscle, bone, and adipose tissue used to assess the composition of the human body. These measurements are important in various fields such as medicine, sports, and forensics.

1. Height
2. Weight
3. Waist circumference
4. Hip circumference
5. Mid upper arm circumference
6. Skin fold thickness

HEIGHT:

"Measure of vertical distance from highest point of the subject's head to the sole of the feet". It is one such measure that give us an estimate about the nutritional status as is helpful in the body mass index BMI and stunting.

Procedure:

Direct the subject to remove clothing that would hinder the measurement.

1. Ensure that the subject's feet are placed flat on the base plate of the stadiometer which is placed or a floor that is not carpeted.
2. Legs should be straight, against the flat surface such as wall.
3. Ask the subject to look straight parallel to his eyes.

Make sure that the shoulders are levelled, hands are at side while the head, shoulders blades, buttocks are against the measuring device.

Movable block should be gently pushed so that it touches the mid-crown of subject's head.

Take an average of three readings. Round off the measured values to the nearest 0.1cm.

WEIGHT:

It is used for the calculation of BMI and wasting.

Procedure:

Ask the subject to remove accessories that would hinder the measurement.

Subject should stand in the center of scale so that the weight of the subject is uniformly distributed on both feet.

Record the weight to the near 0.1kg and take an average of three readings.

WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE:

It measures the narrowest part of the trunk and it is necessary for the calculation of waist to hip ratio. It is helpful in risk assessment of certain lifestyle related diseases.

Procedure for WC measurement in males

Stand erect and still and wear light clothing.

A measuring tape is placed around middle, just above the hip bone.

Ensure that the tape does not twist and is horizontal around the waist of subject.

The tape must not compress  the skin, just keep the tape around the subject's waist.

Measurements are carried out immediately after the subject exhales.

Take an average of three readings. Read the measurement to the nearest of 0.1cm.

Procedure for WC measurement in females

Female subject should wear the light clothes, stand straight, arm at the side, abdomen relaxed and feet together.

Wrap the tape around the subject, on the narrowest part of the torso.

Ensure that the tape does not compress the skin.

The plane of the tape should be horizontal.

Take measure at normal exhalation.

Record the waist circumference to nearest 0.1cm.

HIP CIRCUMFERENCE:

It is an anthropometric measure essential for the calculation of waist to hip ratio.

Procedure: 

Subjects should wear light clothes and remove things that would hinder the measurement.

Subject is in standing condition with feet together, arm at side, abdomen relaxed and breathes out gently.

The person who is taking measurement should stand in the position so that maximum circumference of buttocks can easily be seen.

Wrap the tape at the maximum circumference of the hips while not compressing the skin.

Ensuring that plane of tape is horizontal.

Record reading to nearest 0.1cm.

MID-UPPER ARM CIRCUMFERENCE:

Mid-upper arm circumference MUAC is the circumference of the left upper arm, measured at the mid-point between the tip of shoulder and the tip of the elbow.

Procedure:

To determine the midpoint of subject's arm, ask him to bend the arm so that right angle is formed.

Touch with fingertips and mark the two point i.e. the acromion and olecranon process.

Measure the distance between two point using flexible non-stretchable tape. note the distance  to the nearest cm and divide it with two to estimate the mid-point to be marked with a marker.

Ask subject to straighten his/her arm.

Wrap tape around arm at marked midpoint ensuring that the tape is neither too tight  nor too loose and plane of tape is vertical to line of the arm.

Take reading to nearest 0.1cm.

SKIN FOLD THICKNESS:

It is one of the most common and oldest methods to determine body composition and percent body fat of individual. 

Procedure:

Pinch the skin at the location from where the skinfold thickness is to be measured so that folds of skin move away from the underlying muscles in such a way that only fat tissues and skin are being held.

Followings are the most common sites useful for skinfold thickness measurements:

1. Triceps: Back of upper arm.
2. Pectoral: Mid  chest.
3. Subscapular: edge of the shoulder blade.
4. Midaxilla: Mid line of the side of torso.
5. Abdomen:  next to the belly button.
6. Suprailiac: above the iliac crest of the hip bone.
7. Quadriceps: Middle of the  upper thigh.

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