Status of anthropometry and body composition data in elderly subjects.

Understanding the normal changes in the body and its composition with increasing old age and their health implications are important to the health care and nutritional support of elderly subjects. Distribution statistics for selected body measurements of persons aged 65-80 y are available from the national health surveys. Recumbent anthropometric techniques and B-mode ultrasound may be applicable to measuring those greater than 80 y who have difficulty standing or are chair- or bedfast. The problems of estimating body composition in elderly subjects could be improved by using a four-compartment model. Noninvasive methods, such as anthropometry and bioelectric impedance, could be used to predict body composition in elderly subjects if appropriate equations were available and validated against direct methods. The most pressing need is for the development of suitable reference data for anthropometry and body composition in large representative samples of black, white, Hispanic and Oriental elderly persons in the US.