Reliability of Anthropometric Measurement of Young Children with Parent Involvement

Abstract

Background:

The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability of anthropometric measurements between two trained anthropometrists working in a team and one trained anthropometrist working with a child’s parent/caregiver in a primary health care setting.

Study Design:

An observational study to determine measurement reliability was conducted in a primary care child research network in Canada. In total, 120 children 0–5 years old had their anthropometric measurement taken twice by two trained anthropometrists working in a team and twice by one trained anthropometrist working with a child’s parent/caregiver. Inter- and intra-observer reliability was calculated using the technical error of measurement (TEM), relative TEM (%TEM), and the coefficient of reliability (R).

Results:

The %TEM values for length/height and weight were <2%, and the R coefficient values were >0.99, indicating a high degree of inter- and intra-observer reliability. The TEM values demonstrated a high degree of reliability for inter- and intra-observer measurement of length/height in comparison with other anthropometric measurement parameters. However, there was greater variation seen in the length measurement for children 0 to <2 years of age and in arm circumference measurement across both age-groups.

Conclusion(s):

This study suggests that anthropometric measurement taken by one trained anthropometrist with the assistance of a parent/caregiver is reliable. These findings provide evidence to support inclusion of a child’s parent/caregiver with anthropometric measurement collection in clinical setting(s) to enhance feasibility and efficiency and reduce the research costs of including a second trained anthropometrist.