Body Mass Composition Anthropometry

Question: Describe a client situation in which the skin-fold measurement technique may not be idealfor the purposes of anthropometry. Answer: Anthropometry Skinfold measurement are used to analyse and evaluate the subcutaneous fat and its thickness in various parts of the body. This measurement technique should have a limited utility in the individuals who are obese and overweight. There are various limitations in using this method like most of the skinfold calipers have a higher measurement index of 45 55 mm. This factor inhibits its usage to the individuals who fall under the obese category and sometime even those individuals who fall within the thinner limits. Some of the skinfold calipers consider the large measurements however this factor cant be considered as a significant improvement because this involves a difficulty in getting hold of the skin which is large while taking the measurements on caliper dial (Burton RF 2015). Most of the skinfold methods which are used are at the triceps locations. The tricep skinfold varies to a significant extent by gender and it would show up the changes in the internal muscle than resulting in any alteration in the fat proportion within the body. Skinfold methods are specifically used in measuring the fat proportion within the children because they are considerably small in size and majority of fat lies within the children who are obese. BMI proves to be more accurate than the skinfold method when it comes to analysing the fat percentage in children and the adults (Burton 2015). discuss (with detail) the multiple methods of assessing body composition. Which of these methods are the most accurate? Least accurate? Which ones are the most cost effective? The prevalence of type 2 diabetes in the adults has resulted because of the obesity in the adults. Changes in the body composition which follow the obesity has a major impact on the metabolism and the insulin insensitivity. Some of the common methods to assess the composition of the body like anthropometry, body density and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Body composition is possible to be measured from atomic to molecular levels by utilising different elements of carbon, calcium, potassium and hydrogen. The analysis can be done at atomic and molecular level with the composition of water, protein and fat and at the cellular level, it is assessed by extracellular fluid and body cell mass. At a different stage which is at the tissue level, it is measured by the amounts of the adipose, skeletal and muscle tissues. This analysis at the atomic and cellular levels is conducted by using some of the methods like the neutron activation, isotope dilution and total body counting. There are various methods for measuring the body composition like the indirect methods of anthropometry, skinfold methods, weight stature and body mass, Biometric impedance analysis and by using the direct methods like complete body water composition, counting and activation of the neutrons and by using methods like the criterion and by evaluating the density of the body, dual energy X ray absorptiometry and computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (Heymsfield, Lohman, Wang, Going 2005). Neutron activation methods are called as the accurate methods for measuring the composition of the body for tissue specific body References Burton RF (2015). Adult fat content: reinterpreting and modelling the Benn Index and related sex differences. Ann Hum Biol. 42: 916. Heymsfield SB, Lohman T, Wang Z, Going SB (2005). Human body composition.Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Press.