ANTHROPOMETRIC MEASUREMENT OF THAI ELDERLY IN NORTHEASTERN RURAL AREA

Abstract

Anthropometry takes part in making a difference in managing physical human needs including elderly needs in order to improve their quality of life. The objective of this study was to measure the body dimension of healthy Thai elderly living in rural areas and investigate the relationship among body dimensions. Questionnaire was given to the respondents in order to get their demographic data. Questionnaire and anthropometry measurements were taken on a total of 23 male elderly and 88 female elderly people from rural areas in Northeastern Thailand. Most respondents (49.5%) of the total elderly are in their 60s, 32.4% in their 70s, 17.2% in their 80s, and 1% in their 90s. 54.1% of them are still actively working and 96.4% of them are regularly doing body exercise in keeping their body fit and healthy. The body dimensions measured consist of 22 standing dimensions, 20 sitting dimensions, and 15 foot and hand dimensions. Positive correlations were found between some of the body dimensions. The developed anthropometric data is expected to overcome the information gap related to the dimensions of the body of the elderly and to assist the development of products and other supporting equipment to be anthropometrically compatible for elderly residents of rural areas in the future.