Replicability for anthropometry in the elderly.

Abstract

Anthropometric data were collected in a sample of healthy adults (23 men and 21 women), 54 to 85 years of age. Compared to groups of younger individuals, these older adults have more frequent and larger inter-observer errors for most body measurements. Repeated measurements reduce the incidence of large inter-observer differences for measures of body size. Accurate anthropometry is important because of relationships to body stores of fat and muscle.