Precision of anthropometric measurements: the value of mid-arm circumference.
A study was carried out to examine how reproducible anthropometric measurements were within and between two observers on a group of 24 normal subjects and 20 obese individuals. A further study was performed on 28 malnourished patients with Crohn's disease undergoing a controlled trial of nutritional therapy to assess how weight change correlated with other anthropometric parameters. The measurement that was most reproducible and correlated most with weight change was mid-arm circumference. As it is the simplest measurement to perform, we recommend that it is used more often in nutritional studies.
Harries
A D
AD
Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital of Wales, and Welsh National School of Medicine, Heath Park, Cardiff, UK.
Jones
L A
LA
Heatley
R V
RV
Newcombe
R G
RG
Rhodes
J
J