Anthropometric:

– Anthropometry is the measurement of body height, weight & proportions.

– It is an essential component of clinical examination of infants, children & pregnant women.

– It is used to evaluate both under & over nutrition.

It includes the measurement of following for estimating health status of an individual:

a) Mid-arm circumference

b) Skin fold thickness

c) Head circumference

d) Head/chest ratio

e) Hip/waist ratio

Advantages:

a) Objective with high specificity & sensitivity.

b) Measures many variables of nutritional significance (Ht, Wt, MAC, HC, skin fold thickness, waist & hip ratio & BMI).

c) Readings are numerical & gradable on standard growth charts

d) Readings are reproducible.

Disadvantage:

– Inter-observers measurement.

– Limited errors in nutritional diagnosis.

– Problems with reference standards.