Anthropometric Indicators
Anthopometry is the measurement of the human body, typically used to assess nutritional well-being and outcomes such as stunting and wasting.
Guidelines
Anthropometric measurements include:
- weight (including birth weight)
- height/length
- knee height (a proxy for height)
- mid-upper arm circumference
- head circumference
- waist circumference
- calf circumference
These can be used to calculate indices to identify low birth weight, stunting, wasting, BMI, head circumference for age, and acute malnutrition.
Additional Resources
FANTA, Food And Nutrition Technical Assistance project of USAID, developed a detailed [Guide to Anthropometry, including an overview of types of anthropometric data; details and classifications for children from 0-5, youth from 5-19, pregnant and postpartum women and girls, and adults 18 years and older; and measurement protocols and equipment guidance.
Back to Parent
This article is part of the topic Primary Data Collection