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Comparison of armspan, arm length and tibia length as predictors of actual height of disabled and nondisabled children in Dharavi, Mumbai, India

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 57, pages 1230–1234 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate appropriate measurements to predict height in children with physical impairments to facilitate the accurate assessment of nutritional status in field studies.

Design: Case–control cross-sectional study.

Setting: Dharavi, a large slum in Mumbai, India.

Subjects: In total, 141 children with mixed disabilities and 162 nondisabled control children, aged 2–6 y.

Methods: Height/length, armspan, arm length and tibia length were measured to the nearest 0.1 cm using standard procedures. The relations between armspan, arm length and tibia length with height in controls were investigated using linear regression.

Results: Armspan (R2=0.93, P<0.001, n=158), arm length (R2=0.81, P<0.001, n=162) and tibia length (R2=0.72, P<0.001, n=161) were found to be strong predictors of height based on data from nondisabled control children. These measurements could be used to determine a more accurate height for children with physical impairments where the nature of the impairment may interfere with height measurements.

Conclusions: Armspan, arm length and tibia length can be used to determine accurate height for children with physical impairments, for example, children with a nonambulatory status or those with kyphosis or scoliosis of the spine.

Sponsorship: Department for International Development (DFID), UK.

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Acknowledgements

We are very grateful to all the families who willingly participated in the study. We would like to thank the field assistants who supported the data collection work. We also appreciate the collaborative support for the study given by the Spastics Society of India (SSI), Mumbai. Finally, many thanks to Jane Pringle of Great Ormond Street Hospital in the UK for giving time for the anthropometry training. We are grateful to the Department for International Development (DFID), UK for funding the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for International Child Health, Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK

    A K Yousafzai, S M Filteau & S L Wirz

  2. Centre for Paediatric Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK

    T J Cole

Authors
  1. A K Yousafzai
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  2. S M Filteau
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  3. S L Wirz
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Contributions

Guarantor: AK Yousafzai.

Contributors: AKY conducted the fieldwork, analysed data, wrote the manuscript and is the guarantor of the work. SMF contributed to study design, analysis and writing of the paper. SLW contributed to study design and writing of the paper. TJC advised on statistical analysis and commented on the paper.

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Correspondence to A K Yousafzai.

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Yousafzai, A., Filteau, S., Wirz, S. et al. Comparison of armspan, arm length and tibia length as predictors of actual height of disabled and nondisabled children in Dharavi, Mumbai, India. Eur J Clin Nutr 57, 1230–1234 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601705

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