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Review
. 2018 May;72(5):680-687.
doi: 10.1038/s41430-018-0145-7. Epub 2018 May 10.

Digital anthropometry: a critical review

Steven B Heymsfield  1 , Brianna Bourgeois  2 , Bennett K Ng  3   4 , Markus J Sommer  3 , Xin Li  5 , John A Shepherd  3   4
Affiliations
Review

Digital anthropometry: a critical review

Steven B Heymsfield et al. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2018 May.

Abstract

Anthropometry, Greek for human measurement, is a tool widely used across many scientific disciplines. Clinical nutrition applications include phenotyping subjects across the lifespan for assessing growth, body composition, response to treatments, and predicting health risks. The simple anthropometric tools such as flexible measuring tapes and calipers are now being supplanted by rapidly developing digital technology devices. These systems take many forms, but excitement today surrounds the introduction of relatively low cost three-dimensional optical imaging methods that can be used in research, clinical, and even home settings. This review examines this transformative technology, providing an overview of device operational details, early validation studies, and potential applications. Digital anthropometry is rapidly transforming dormant and static areas of clinical nutrition science with many new applications and research opportunities.

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Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Progression of steps from 3D optical scan to anthropometric data generation. The procedure sequence usually requires less than one minute.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Steps taken from the 3D optical scan to several potential applications. At present most commercial systems use conventional modeling approaches to predict body composition, blood biomarkers, and health risks. A more advanced approach in development uses mathematical techniques and placed marker points to capture 3D shape variance and to then link these subject characteristics to blood biomarkers, body composition, and health risks. Methods such as these can also be used to develop pseudo-DXA and MRI scans. Abbreviations: DXA, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry; OBJ, Wavefront 3D object.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Some biomedical applications of 3D optical imaging.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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