Anthropometry Fundamentals of Application and Interpretation

The science of Anthropometry is gaining an increasing number of followers, as it allows for a valid, reliable and cheap assessment of body composition and other interesting variables from the point of view of health and sport. However, not many books have addressed the anthropometric technique from its foundations. This book deals with issues to consider during an anthropometric assessment, such as the physical approach to the subject during the anthropometric assessment, or the factors to consider so that the data obtained are valid and reliable. It also clearly and concisely addresses the approach to body composition with anthropometry, what somatotype is, and how it is interpreted, and how anthropometry can be used to obtain proportionality values, which are very useful for the detection of sporting talents. Finally, the application of anthropometry in two of the fields where anthropometry is most used: the field of sport from the basics to elite sport, and health. All of this is conducted under the perspective of two of the world's leading experts in kinanthropometry, with the goal for the reader to acquire knowledge on every aspect of anthropometry, from the basics to in-depth knowledge of this science.

1. Introduction to anthropometry.- 2. Ethics and proxemics.- 3. Anthropometric equipment and its characteristics.- 4. Sources of error and statistics applied to kinanthropometry.- 5. Analysis of body composition through anthropometric assessment.- 6. Proportionality analysis by means of anthropometric assessment.- 7. Analysis of somatotype through anthropometric assessment.- 8. Applying anthropometry in sports: from the identification sporting talents to elite sport.- 9. Applying anthropometry in health: diseases identification and diagnosis.

Francisco Esparza-Ros graduated in Medicine and Surgery in 1981 from the University of Murcia. He is a medical specialist in Sports Traumatology and also in Physical Education and Sports Medicine. In 1996 he obtained the title of Doctor in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Valencia, with a "cum laude" distinction, and since 1997 he has been a professor at the Catholic University San Antonio de Murcia, where he has been leading the Master's in Sports Traumatology since 2010 and has been the director of the International Chair of Kinanthropometry since 2015. His experience with anthropometry began in 1987, being the author of numerous scientific documents related to this discipline. He holds the title of Level 4 criterion anthropometrist from the International Society for the Advancement in Kinanthropometry (ISAK). He has been the General Secretary of the ISAK for 10 years and Vice President of the ISAK for 6 years. Currently, he is the President of this Society, being the first Spanish speaker to hold this position.

Raquel Vaquero-Cristóbal graduated in Physical Activity and Sports Sciences in 2011 from the University of Murcia (UMU), receiving an Extraordinary Award and End of University Education Mention. She completed her doctorate in 2017 within the programme of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences at the Catholic University San Antonio de Murcia (UCAM), with a cum laude distinction. She worked as a professor and researcher at the Faculty of Sport at the UCAM from 2017 to 2023. Since then, she has been working as a professor and researcher at the Faculty of Sports Sciences at the UMU. She has extensive experience in teaching anthropometry to students from different disciplines. She is a Level 4 criterion anthropometrist from the International Society for the Advancement in Kinanthropometry (ISAK) and has been a member of the Executive Committee of this Society from 2018 to the present. In addition, she is currently the General Secretary of the ISAK. During her research career, she has published various books and scientific articles related to kinanthropometry. She is one of the creators of the ISAK Metry software for anthropometric assessment.