Anthropometry

Anthropometry

What is anthropometry?

Anthropometry is the measurement of body parameters to indicate

nutritional status.

Anthropometry

Why is anthropometry important?

Anthropometry is the easiest way to measure nutritional status.

Anthropometric measurements

Height Weight Mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) Demi-span or arm span Knee height Sitting height Skin fold thickness Head circumference

Anthropometric index

Combination of different measurements or combination of a measurement with other data

Weight-for-height Height-for-age Weight-for-age MUAC-for-height MUAC-for-age BMI-for-age Etc.

Building blocks of anthropometric indices

Sex AgeHeight/Length

Weight

1 2 3 4

Use of building blocks

Height

Age

Weight

Height

and and

Using this information we can find out if the child is “stunted” or short for his age

Using this information we can find out if the child is “wasted” or thin for his height

Which anthropometric index to use?

Depends on target group Depends on what you want to measure

For children <5 years of age:

Nutritional problem Index

Chronic malnutrition (stunting) Height-for-age

Acute malnutrition (wasting) Weight-for-height

Any protein-energy malnutrition (underweight)

Weight-for-age

Classification of malnutrition in children

Protein-energyMalnutrition(Underweight)

Acute(wasting)

Chronic(stunting)

Marasmus Kwashiorkor

Acute and chronic protein-energy malnutrition

Acute

What are the characteristics of acute malnutrition?

Chronic

What are the characteristics of chronic malnutrition?

Acute and chronic protein-energy malnutrition

Acute

• Acute shortage of food

• Produces recent rapid weight loss

• Results in wasting

• Is reversible

• Measured by weight-for-height

• Adults can become wasted

• Is most important type in emergencies

Chronic• Chronic shortage of

nutrients or presence of multiple infections

• Occurs over a long period • Results in stunting• In kids > 2 years, may be

irreversible • Measured by height-for-

age • Adults cannot become

stunted• Is very common in stable

populations

Both type of malnutrition can have serious consequences.

Acute and chronic protein-energy malnutrition

Anthropometry in adults

Body mass index (BMI) Is ratio of weight and height: Weight (kgs)

(Height [m]) 2

Single cut-off points for all ages:BMI Category of Nutritional Status

< 16.0

16.0 - 16.9

17.0 - 18.4

Severe Malnutrition

Moderate Malnutrition

Mild Malnutrition

18.5 – 24.9 Normal Nutrition Status

> 25 Overweight

Why is it important how well we measure?

Accurate data is needed to correctly classify nutritional status of individuals

Need correct classification of individuals to measure nutritional status in populations

We use population assessments to make important program decisions

1. Measure height for children 24 months and older if they can stand unassisted.

2. Measure child without shoes and wearing light clothing.

3. Remove hair accessories that interfere with measurement.

4. Position child with feet flat and together on the base of the board.

5. Heels, back of knees, buttocks, shoulder blades and back of head touch back of board while child is maintaining a normal stance. For some children this is not possible and only the heels and buttocks will touch the board.

6 Shoulders level and eyes looking straight ahead.

7. Headpiece firmly against top of the child’s head and firmly against the board.

8. Read measurement to the nearest 0.1 cm.

Measuring height (children 24 months or older)

Child Height

Correct positions for measuring height

Child height - assistant’s hand position

Left hand on knees; knees together against board

Right hand on shins; heels against back and base of board

Feet flat, heels against board

Position of head

Problem?

Problem?

1. Measure length for children less than 24 months of age.

2. Measure infant without shoes and wearing light underclothing or clean diaper.

3. Remove hair accessories that interfere with measurement

4. Lay child on his back in the center of the measuring surface.

5. Assistant cups the ears to hold the infant’s head so the infant is looking upward and the crown of the head is against the headpiece.

6. Bring knees together, extend both legs and bring movable foot piece to rest against heels.

7. Read measurement to the nearest 0.1 cm.

How to measure length

Correct positions for length measurement

Child flat on board

Position of head

90o

Correct hand and head position

Child and assistant positions

Problem?

Problem?

Feet flat, heels against board

TIP

Sometimes tickling the soles of the baby’s feet can cause them to turn up their toes and you can get the foot piece flat against the feet

Correct position of feet and measurer

Problem?

Supervisor observing child length procedure

How to use the UNISCALE - display and switch window

Kg

SECA

Display WindowIs where the weight is shown in Kg and one tenth of a Kg

Switch WindowTurns the scale on and makes the scale workin different ways. When the window is covered up for a short time, the scale is switched on or the way in which it works is changed.

How to use the UNISCALE - using the switch window

The best way to cover the switch windowis to use your foot:

Pass one foot close over the top of the switch window from one side to the other.

DO NOT step on or touch the window. It is not a push button switch.

How to use the UNISCALE

1. Put the scale on the floor. Choose the flattest, most level surface you have. Do not stand on the scale yet.

kg

188.8

0.0

2. Look at the display window. It should be blank.

3. Move your foot quickly across the switch. The scale will switch on and you will see:

4. In 5 seconds, the scale will adjust itself to zero. You are ready to weigh a person.

How to use the UNISCALE

5. Stand on the scale. Stand still. Make sure that feet or clothes do not cover the switch window.

1 . .1

58.3

You should see:

and then:

6. The 1 will move back and forth from side to side to show you the scale is working. Then you should see the weight in the display , for example:

and then:

1 .

kg

UNISCALE: weighing adults and childrenwho can stand on their own

1. Turn on the scale.Move your foot acrossswitch window.

2. Ask the person to step on the scale.Wait until the display shows weight.

3. Ask the person to get off the scale.Wait until the display shows 0.0 beforeweighing the nextperson.

UNISCALE: Weighing children who are held by their mothers

1. Turn on the scale. Move your foot across switch window.

2. Ask the mother to step on the scale byherself.She can give her child toyou or another person to hold.

Make sure her feet or clothes do not cover the switch window.

You will see the mother’s weight in the display, for example:

52.4

UNISCALE: Weighing children who are held by their mothers

3. With the mother on the scale pass your foot slowly across the switch window. Then wait a couple seconds.

0.0 --.-

4. Ask the mother to step off the scale. You should see:

UNISCALE: Weighing children who are held by their mothers

5. Ask the mother to stepback on the scale with herchild. You should see the child’sweight.

5.4 --.-

6. Ask the mother to stepoff the scale. You should see:

UNISCALE: Weighing children who are held by their mothers

7. Pass your foot across the switch windowto reset the scale before weighing the next mother.You should see:

0.0

Summary

It is crucial to follow these procedures as closely as possible to get accurate measurements of children, women, and men.