title: The relationships between height and arm span, mid-upper arm and waist circumferences and sum of four skinfolds in Ellisras rural children aged 8-18 years.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Height is required for the assessment of growth and nutritional status, as well as for predictions and standardization of physiological parameters. To determine whether arm span, mid-upper arm and waist circumferences and sum of four skinfolds can be used to predict height, the relationships between these anthropometric variables were assessed among Ellisras rural children aged 8-18 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  The following parameters were measured according to the International Society for the Advancement of Kinathropometry: height, arm span, mid-upper arm circumference, waist circumference and four skinfolds (suprailiac, subscapular, triceps and biceps). Associations between the variables were assessed using Pearson correlation coefficients and linear regression models.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ellisras Longitudinal Study (ELS), Limpopo Province, South Africa.
  
  
  METHODS
  Boys (n 911) and girls (n 858) aged 8-18 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean height was higher than arm span, with differences ranging from 4 cm to 11·5 cm between boys and girls. The correlation between height and arm span was high (ranging from 0·74 to 0·91) with P<0·001. The correlation between height and mid-upper arm circumference, waist circumference and sum of four skinfolds was low (ranging from 0·15 to 0·47) with P<0·00 among girls in the 15-18 years age group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Arm span was found to be a good predictor of height. The sum of four skinfolds was significantly associated with height in the older age groups for girls, while waist circumference showed a negative significant association in the same groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Environmental Health,University of Limpopo,Turfloop Campus,Private Bag X11o6,Sovenga 0727,South Africa.
authors.forename: Kotsedi Daniel
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Monyeki
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Environmental Health,University of Limpopo,Turfloop Campus,Private Bag X11o6,Sovenga 0727,South Africa.
authors.forename: Michael Matome
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Sekhotha
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001132:Arm / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012424:Rural Population; D012885:Skinfold Thickness; D013019:South Africa; D055105:Waist Circumference
keywords: Arm span; Children; Height; Mid-upper arm circumference; Sum of four skinfolds; Waist circumference