Development of Gender-specific Equations for Estimating Body Weight and Height Based on Anthropometric Measurements in Adults from Shiraz, Iran

Abstract

Background: In various situations, such as determining nutrition requirements, medication dosage, mechanical ventilation, and resuscitation, height, weight, and BMI are considered. Anthropometric body measurements differ among populations of different genders and ethnicities. Objectives: This study aimed to develop gender-specific equations for estimating body weight and height based on anthropometric measurements in Iranian adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Shiraz, Iran, over six months. Healthy volunteers aged 18-80 were included. Exclusion criteria were limb(s) amputation or immobilization and pregnancy. Participants were randomly divided into modeling (n = 400) and validation (n = 78) groups. We used the modeling group to generate regression equations based on gender and the validation group to test them. Results: Demi-span, age, knee height, and arm span could predict height with reasonable accuracy. Calf, waist, neck, and wrist circumferences entered our regression for predicting weight. Waist and calf circumferences entered the regression for BMI prediction in both genders. Arm circumference in men and neck circumference in women is strongly correlated with BMI. Conclusions: Many different equations have been suggested to predict height, weight, and BMI. Linear and circumferential body measures are usually used to predict height and weight. The suggested equations in this study are simple, and the anthropometric measurements require only a cloth tape measure and have good predictive ability. Complimentary studies are necessary to evaluate the precision of these formulas in other samples from other regions of Iran and in immobilized patients.