ANTHROPOMETRY - BODY MEASUREMENTS
HEIGHT
The child should stand up straight, with buttocks, shoulder blades, and heels touching the back of the stadiometer. The feet should face outward at a 60-degree angle. If the patient has genu valgum, separate the feet to avoid overlapping the knees while maintaining contact between the knees. Arms should be loosely hanging at the sides with palms facing the thighs. The horizontal bar of the stadiometer should be lowered until the hair is compressed to the crown of the head. Remove any objects on the head and hair that may obstruct the bar from compressing the hair to the crown of the head. The measurement should be read to 0.1 cm or one-eighth of an inch. Repeat the measurement twice to obtain 2 readings within 0.2 cm or 0.25 inches. The average of the 2 closest measurements should be recorded.
Weight
For children under 2 years of age, use a calibrated beam or a digital infant scale. Ensure the infant is not wearing any clothes and remove the diaper before measuring the weight. The weight should be measured to the nearest 0.01 kg or 0.5 ounces. For children older than 24 months, a balanced or electronic floor scale can be used.
Waist Circumference
Patients should stand with their arms crossed on the contralateral shoulders to measure waist circumference. The measuring tape should be placed snugly around the lateral aspect of each ilium at the mid-axillary line. It is an essential measure of anthropometry in adults and children as it directly measures central adiposity. Increasing central adiposity is associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality due to an increased risk of diabetes and heart disease.[2]
Ref - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537315/ Accessed 12/01/2025