Medical-Fitness Technician
Certification Course
Part C: Assessing Medical-Fitness
Learning Modules: 25-34
Certification Course
Part C: Assessing Medical-Fitness
Learning Modules: 25-34
Learning Module 27-A:
Anthropometrics
Anthropometrics
Study the Learning Module and take the Quiz.
Body Measurements
Learning Objectives:
- Accurately measure Body Height (Ht).
- Accurately measure Body Weight (Wt).
- Accurately measure Waist Circumference (WC).
Introduction
Knowledge and skills in anthropometrics (body measurements) are important for the Medical-Fitness Technician, because in the U.S., 2/3 of adults and 1/3 of teens are obese or over-weight. Being able to identify and measure changes in a person's weight is important, because an unhealthy trending weight leads to a variety of chronic diseases, including: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugars, diabetes, heart disease, and many forms of cancer. In fact, obesity with inactivity has become the #1 cause of premature disease, disability, and death in America (now exceeding that of smoking).
As a Medical-Fitness Technician, you are qualified to provide medical-fitness services as an independent technician or by working at a Medical-Fitness Clinic. It is essential that you become knowledgeable and skilled in anthropometrics (body measurements). The following instructions are generic guidelines that will prepare you for your field practicum and future career.
As a Medical-Fitness Technician, you are qualified to provide medical-fitness services as an independent technician or by working at a Medical-Fitness Clinic. It is essential that you become knowledgeable and skilled in anthropometrics (body measurements). The following instructions are generic guidelines that will prepare you for your field practicum and future career.
1. Height
A significant number of individuals OVER-estimate their height for whatever reason and may be unaware that they have lost some of their height over the years due to compression of their intervertebral discs. Therefore, all participants in medical-fitness services should be measured for height initially and then at least annually.
A significant number of individuals OVER-estimate their height for whatever reason and may be unaware that they have lost some of their height over the years due to compression of their intervertebral discs. Therefore, all participants in medical-fitness services should be measured for height initially and then at least annually.
- Height (Ht) is measured and recorded in Feet & Inches. Example: 5' 8"
- Convert feet to inches (1 foot = 12 inches): 4' = 48", 5' = 60", 6' = 72"
- Get efficient at mentally converting the feet to inches for a total height in inches. Example: 5'8" = 60"+8" = 68"
- Clients should remove their shoes, stand straight up, look straight ahead, and pull their shoulders back.
- Round-off to the nearest whole or half inch.
2. Weight
A significant number of individuals UNDER-estimate their weight for whatever reason and may be unaware that they have gained some weight over the years due to decreased physical activity and a lower metabolic rate, but without a decrease in caloric intake. In more rare incidences, a client may be unaware of significant and unintended weight loss, which may indicate a serious underlying health issue, such as hyperthyroidism, diabetes, digestion/absorption problems, and some forms of cancer. Therefore, all participants in medical-fitness services should be measured for weight at every visit and measured at home at least monthly.
- Weight (Wt) is measured and recorded in pounds. Example: 145 lbs.
- Clients should remove their shoes, any outer layers of clothing (jacket), and any weightier items in their pockets (wallet, cell phone, keychain) and stand still on the scale.
- Round-off to the nearest whole or half pound.
Also note that weight can remain fairly constant over time (years) even though the person's body composition changes drastically, which can be positive if due to a fitness training program and active lifestyle (losing excess fat and gaining muscle). However, most body composition changes are negative due to a lack of exercise and excess calories (gaining fat and losing muscle).
3. Waist Circumference
A significant number of individuals are sensitive about their weight and especially about their waist circumference and may be uncomfortable with the close contact that is sometimes necessary to get an accurate waist measurement. For this reason, it is recommended that you give the client the body tape measure for them to wrap around their own waist and hold the end of the tape and the point of overlap together at their bellybutton. You can then make sure the tape is wrapped snugly. but not too tight, in a straight, horizontal line around his/her waist.
Waist Circumference is usually measured midway between the lower rib and the iliac crest (boney hip), which is usually at about the level of the umbilicus (bellybutton). This is also usually the "point of greatest circumference."
Upon achieving a proper positioning of the tape measure around your client's waist, grasp the tape at the point of overlap and ask the client to release their hold on it.
If the client is obviously obese, and especially if the measuring tape may not be long enough to wrap around his/her waist, it is NOT necessary to get a Waist Circumference measurement. Measuring the waist circumference of extremely obese client's is also more difficult and often inaccurate. You can safely assume that the client's excess weight is due to excess fat, not muscle.
In such cases, your client's WC will not be needed to calculate their waist-to-height ratio (WHR) when interpreting their health risk category based on their BMI (as explained in the next Learning Module). This saves you time from doing an unnecessary measurement and saves the client from any unnecessary embarrassment.
Waist Circumference is usually measured midway between the lower rib and the iliac crest (boney hip), which is usually at about the level of the umbilicus (bellybutton). This is also usually the "point of greatest circumference."
Upon achieving a proper positioning of the tape measure around your client's waist, grasp the tape at the point of overlap and ask the client to release their hold on it.
- Waist Circumference is measured and recorded in inches. Example: 37.5"
- Hand a 60" (152 cm) body tape measure to the client and instruct him/her to wrap it around his/her waist.
- Inspect and adjust the tape as necessary and then take hold of the tape at the point of overlap.
- Remove the tape measure and determine the distance around the client's waist.
- Round-off to the nearest half inch.
- The conversion rate between inches and centimeters is: 1" = 2.54 cm
If the client is obviously obese, and especially if the measuring tape may not be long enough to wrap around his/her waist, it is NOT necessary to get a Waist Circumference measurement. Measuring the waist circumference of extremely obese client's is also more difficult and often inaccurate. You can safely assume that the client's excess weight is due to excess fat, not muscle.
In such cases, your client's WC will not be needed to calculate their waist-to-height ratio (WHR) when interpreting their health risk category based on their BMI (as explained in the next Learning Module). This saves you time from doing an unnecessary measurement and saves the client from any unnecessary embarrassment.