[Estimation of height from leg lenght measured with tape measure]. / Estimación de la estatura a partir de la longitud de pierna medida con cinta métrica.

Equations to predict height from several body segments have been developed. However, those that use the knee height are limited by the need of an instrument with high cost (anthropometer). Thus, the aim of this study was to develop a prediction equation from the leg length by using a tape measure. Leg length and height was measured in 180 subjects, with ages 30-59 years that attended the Ambulatorio Docente Asistencial of the University Hospital of Caracas, from April to June of 2002. In order to determine the correlation degree of each measurement with height, the existent correlation between height and each one of the studied variables (leg length, sex, age) and between the variables to one each other was calculated by means of the Pearson's correlation coefficient. Linear regression analysis was done to estimate the height in each gender and the results were tested on an independent sample. The generated equations achieved a very good correlation with the real height and the standard error was calculated. Thus, in those subjects in whom assessment of the real height is not possible by conventional means, it is possible to use height prediction equations from simple techniques and equipment accessible to the whole health care staff.

[Comparison of 2 anthropometric methods for the estimation of frame size in Venezuelan adults]. / Comparación de dos métodos antropométricos para estimar la contextura en adultos venezolanos.

The frame size improves the interpretation of the body mass in adult and its incorporation is very useful in the assessment of nutritional status. This study compared two of the anthropometric methods used to classify individuals according to frame size: Grant method (height (cm)/wrist circumference (cm)) and Frame index 2 (elbow breadth (mm)/height (cm) x 100) in order to identify coincidence, concordance and divergence between then. Data from two hundred and forty nine apparently healthy individuals, between the ages of 22 and 63, belonging to "Health Project: Administration employees of the Simón Bolívar University" were included. Results showed significant differences between the two methods, not only in the proportion of classified individuals in each frame size category, but also when contrasted the same method using one or another body hemispheres. When studying both methods, the divergence in frame size identification varied between 19% and 55% with a low concordance (k = < or = 0.40). Grant method, compared to Frame index 2 showed a greater association with the variables and indicators of total body mass and body fat; in the other hand, Frame index 2 revealed a lesser correlation with such variables and indicators specially in female (r = 0.17 with fat percentage). These results clearly show the differences that could be created in the frame size identification of an individual of group of individuals if different criteria are used; this could also lead to a wrong anthropometric diagnosis.

[Weight-for-height in adults: comparison of classifications adjusted and non adjusted by frame size]. / Peso para la talla en adultos: comparación de clasificaciones con y sin corrección por contextura.

The present study is to analyze the concordance, agreements and divergence of anthropometry nutritional classification of weight-height (WH) in adults, using criteria that include frame size adjustments and no adjustment at all. 224 adults were studied (127 female and 117 males) from the "Simón Bolívar" University Administrative Employees Health Project, 1993. Using as basis, the variables weight, height, wrist circumference and elbow breadth, we determined: a) frame size by wrist circumference methods (WC) (Grant, 1980) and elbow breadth (EB) (Frame index 2 by Frisancho, 1989); b) classification by weight-height (WH) according to table by frame size (Frisancho, 1984). 57%, 38% and 6% corresponded to small, medium and large frame sizes, by WC. 16%, 60% and 25% by EB. When classifying by WH those results showed differences between 16-25% in female and 15-21% in males. When contrasting the three criteria, it was observed a bigger coincidence between WH without frame size adjustment and WH adjustment by EB. The smallest coincidence between WH adjusted by WC method and weight height without frame size adjustment in the whole group, while male and female got the biggest coincidence in WH adjustment by WC and HW without frame size adjustment. The smallest concordance (k = 0.37) was obtained when contrasting WH frame size adjustment by EB vs weight-height without adjustment in female, and biggest concordance (k = 0.60) when contrasting WH by WC and without adjustment in males. This results show that, there are significative differences in nutritional classification of weight-height in adults adjusted and non adjusted by frame size within the same group of persons.