Anthropometric measurements are measurements that measure a person's body fat. To do this, they measure different parts of the body, including height, weight, and skinfold thickness, and the bodily circumference at the waist, hip, and chest. These measurements will give the examiner an accurate assessment of a person's body mass index (BMI).
The most common uses of the anthropometric measurements are during well-baby check-ups. The examiner will measure the baby's length and weight, as well as the circumference of the child's head, to ensure everything is good with the baby. The use of anthropometric measurements in adults can tell the examiner if a person is overweight or underweight. These measurements can also tell the examiner what illnesses a person might be more likely to get, such as anemia from malnutrition. This will let the doctor know if a person needs to see a nutritionist or other health expert.
A nutritionist will also use these measurements to help decide the best diet and exercise program for her patient. Anthropometric measurements are also used by the military to see if recruits are fit for duty. If a recruit is overweight, he or she may have trouble during fitness training and be susceptible to illnesses and diseases and this would make him or her unfit for service in the military.
Anthropometric measurements are also used in fitness testing for sports teams. Anyone who plans to join a sports team or perform sports or fitness activities should know their fitness level before beginning. An unfit person starting rigorous training could cause severe damage to his body. By knowing his measurements and adjusting his training program and diet for his fitness level, the likelihood of serious injury may be reduced.
To measure weight, the examiner may use a self-zeroing scale, although these scales have to be recalibrated often. To measure the height, the examiner may use a device that looks like a vertical ruler; it consists of a sliding horizontal rod or paddle that will rest on the person’s head. The person will stand straight against the device with feet together to give an accurate measurement of his or her height.
To measure the skin-folds for BMI, the examiner will take measurements over several different areas of the body, such as the arm, lower hips, and lower ribs of the chest. By taking these measurements in different locations, the examiner will get a more accurate average. Anthropometric measurements are normally done on the right side of the body unless there is a medical reason not to do so.
