Definition of anthropometry - What it is, Meaning and Concept

Before entering fully into the clarification of the meaning of the term anthropometry we must know its etymological origin.In this case we can say that it is a word that derives from the Greek.Exactly it is the result of the union of three clearly defined components:-The noun "anthropos", which can be translated as "man".-The name "metron", which is equivalent to "measure".-The suffix "-ia", which is used to indicate "quality".

anthropometry is called the analysis of body measurements and proportions of the human being .This branch of the so-called anthropology Biological aims to detail the differences between the races and to specify the physical modifications that our species goes through over time.

In order to know the body composition, anthropometry experts perform their measurements using a method that is not invasive and, in addition, is very simple.In particular, they measure aspects such as basic issues such as weight, height or the wingspan.

However, in addition to everything indicated, they also measure bone diameters (humeral, femoral, biacromial...), perimeters (head, neck, hips, calf...), lengths (trocanterea, foot, acromio-radial, iliospinal...) or skin folds (calf, biceps, abdominal, triceps...).

It is important to keep in mind that the characteristics of the human body do not remain unchanged.In fact, the human beings of the 21st century are very different, as for the physical, that the people who lived in the 1st century , for example.This is due to changes in habits, ethnic composition and other issues that modify the dimensions of the body.

We can appreciate the anthropometric changes analyzing what happens with obesity.In United States and in other countries, changes have been made in the diet: today people eat junk food that favors the development of overweight.In this way, anthropometry has demonstrated how the measures of the body of Americans have been modified in recent decades as a result of this unhealthy diet.

In addition to all of the above, we can establish another series of relevant data about anthropometry, among which the following stand out:-It is a discipline that has its origin in the eighteenth century.-It is considered that the first time He speaks of it as such was in 1870.It was in the work entitled "Anthropometrie" of a Belgian mathematician called Quetelet (1796-1874).-It was from 1940 when anthropometry became much more relevant and priority in areas such as aeronautics.-An element that is essential in the origins of anthropometry is the drawing made by Leonardo da Vinci and that responds to the name of "Vitruvian Man".

Anthropometry is also very important in different branches of the design.A manufacturer of office furniture, to name a case, needs to appeal to anthropometric data to design its products.Even clothing designers must take into account the average measurements of the bodies to determine clothing sizes.

When anthropometry studies are applied to athletic performance, talk about cineanthropometry is aimed at optimizing the development of activities based on anthropometric techniques.