title: Height, weight, percent body fat, and indices of adiposity for young men and women entering the U.S. Army.
abstract: The purpose of this investigation was to describe the height (H), weight (W), and percent body fat (%BF) of young men and women (ages 17-35 years) entering the U.S. Army and to determine an index of adiposity that fit criteria described in the literature. H and W were measured with a digital scale and anthropometer, respectively. %BF was calculated from four skinfolds thickness. Men and women were both separated into four age categories. Very little difference in H was found with increasing age. W and %BF increased progressively with age in the males but no increase in either parameter was seen within the three youngest age groups of women. For males, W/H2 was found to be the most appropriate index of adiposity of those studied, having a correlation with %BF of 0.75 and a standard error of estimate of +/- 3.4 %BF. W/H1.5 was the most appropriate index for females, having a correlation with %BF of 0.69 and a standard error of estimate of +/- 3.2 %BF. It was suggested that these indices could be used to replace or supplement the current H-W charts used in the Army. A table for predicting %BF from these indices has been provided.
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008887:Military Medicine; D012737:Sex Factors; D012885:Skinfold Thickness