ABSTRACT
Historically, routine anthropometric measurements have been employed in the fields of nutrition, medicine, sports, and ergonomics. The advent of three-dimensional photonic scanning (3DPS) has enriched the tools available for describing the body. Referred to in some circles as "digital anthropometry", 3DPS has made a vast contribution to body measurement. In conventional anthropometry, there have been attempts to standardize practice for well over a century, illustrating a genealogy of protocols used in sports science, clothing, ergonomics, and health. The categorization of an individual's health risk based on simple anthropometric measurements has been a ubiquitous front line for health surveillance in medicine for over half a century. The assessment and monitoring of body composition, using both anthropometric and other techniques, has become fundamental in the preparation of elite sporting competitors. Body composition is only one of many factors such as, physical, physiological, genetic, and psychological that will determine athletic performance.
