ABSTRACT
Important applications for the measurement and analysis of body composition and body dimensions using these methods include:
O Evaluating how individuals or groups are faring in general or in response to changing economic or political situations (new leadership, prolonged drought or famine, war, decreased expenditures for health services, increase in number of individuals or families living in poverty, increased cost of food, etc.)
O Monitoring individual response to specifi c therapeutic interventions (surgery, medication, chemotherapy etc.) O Making comparisons of actual with “ideal” (weight for height (BMI), waist-to-hip circumference ratio, and level of
body fatness etc.) O Formulating exercise or dietary programs/regimens O Providing prognostic indicators in certain disease states linked to body composition (diabetes, certain types of cancer,
osteoporosis, cystic fi brosis, HIV/AIDS, etc.) O Providing periodic feedback regarding achievement of goals resulting from lifestyle modifi cations (diet, exercise,
smoking cessation, etc.) O Assessing level of potential risk for (cardiovascular, cancer, diabetes, and osteoporosis) and monitoring relative risk
over time
While more precise methods for measuring body composition, such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), are becoming more available, indirect fi eld methods will likely continue to be widely used as their selection is often dependent on practical considerations of cost, availability of equipment, staff (number of personnel and expertise), and portability. The degree of precision needed is also a factor in selection
of the method to be used, and may be based on study sample size and purpose for which the information is being collected. For example, methods yielding less precision may be acceptable if the focus is on generalized risk assessment or documenting change in a diet or exercise program than if the information is needed for establishing health policy or making clinical decisions about disease treatment or prognosis. Ongoing research using more accurate reference methods to validate or refi ne equations for skinfold, frame size, and circumference measurements with different populations will provide clinicians with the necessary information and tools to continue using these practical methods with confi dence.
