RELIABILITY AND REPEATABILITY OF 3-D BODY SCANNER (LASS) MEASUREMENTSCOMPARED TO ANTHROPOMETRY

The Loughborough Anthropometric Shadow Scanner (LASS) digitizes the bo dy, to give size and shape in three dimensions. After some manipulatio n of data, body measurements can be taken from the computerized scan. This paper compares LASS measurements with anthropometric measurements , and examines intra- and inter-observer differences of both technique s. LASS and anthropometric measurements were generally similar. Althou gh there were small but significant (p < 0.05) differences at some sit es, these differences were explained by difficulties in making horizon tal tape measurements, and by differences in site location on LASS sca ns due to imperfect site markers. Standard errors of measurement due t o intra-observer differences were generally smaller by LASS (1.1-5.3 m m) than anthropometry (2.0-7.2 mm); however, inter-observer difference s were similar by both techniques (3.0-13.1 mm for anthropometry compa red to 1.3-8.3 mm for LASS). Repeatability of 3-D measurements taken f rom computerized whole-body scans was no better than that from traditi onal anthropometric measurements; however, the scan data have a far gr eater utilization, for they provide information on body shapes, segmen tal volumes and surface areas as well as size.