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Vol. 6 No. 1 (2026): Volume 6, Issue 1, Year 2026

Review

Protocol for Anthropometric and Body Composition Assessment in Child Undernutrition: A Review and Consensus Document of The International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK)

  • Lorenzo Alejandro Landa Pérez,
  • María Dolores Cabañas Armesilla,
  • Adán Israel Rodríguez-Hernández,
  • Ka Yiu Lee,
  • Irina Livier Rangel-García,
  • Claudia Maceroni
Lorenzo Alejandro Landa Pérez
Centro de Asesoría y Valoración del Estado Físico (CAVEF), México
María Dolores Cabañas Armesilla
Universidad Complutense de Madrid, España
Adán Israel Rodríguez-Hernández
Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, México
Ka Yiu Lee
Oxford Brookes University, United Kingdom
Irina Livier Rangel-García
Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Occidente (ITESO), México
Claudia Maceroni
Sports Science Research, USA
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.34256/ijk26111

Published 20-04-2026

Keywords

  • ISAK,
  • Children,
  • Undernutrition,
  • Body Composition

How to Cite

Landa Pérez, L. A., Cabañas Armesilla, M. D., Rodríguez-Hernández, A. I., Lee, K. Y., Rangel-García, I. L., & Maceroni, C. (2026). Protocol for Anthropometric and Body Composition Assessment in Child Undernutrition: A Review and Consensus Document of The International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK). International Journal of Kinanthropometry, 6(1), 93–104. https://doi.org/10.34256/ijk26111

Copyright (c) 2026 Lorenzo Alejandro Landa Pérez, María Dolores Cabañas Armesilla, Adán Israel Rodríguez-Hernández, Ka Yiu Lee, Irina Livier Rangel-García, Claudia Maceroni

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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Abstract

Introduction: Child undernutrition is becoming a physical and mental health problem worldwide as well as an economic development one. It is characterized by wasting (low body mass for stretch stature), stunting (low stretch stature for age) or being underweight (low body mass for age), and reflects nutritional deficiencies in growth and development at critical stages of life. In accordance with the United Nations initiative to reduce malnutrition by 2030, diagnosis, treatment or prevention of any type of child malnutrition is necessary. The objective of this review and consensus document is to offer a standardized frame of measurements and adaptations to the protocol used by the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK) to evaluate undernourished children. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted using the PRISMA guidelines to identify the existence of different anthropometric measurements and methods to evaluate undernourished children. There are important differences in severe acute or chronic child malnutrition clinical conditions which require a different anthropometric approach. Additionally, the distinct growth and development stages of a lifespan require the adaptation of materials and methods used. Other ethical and practical recommendations are included as necessary in the evaluation of undernourished children. Results: Finally, estimation of body composition in this population must be approached with caution since clinical conditions do not always allow for the necessary measurements. Conclusion: This review can serve as a practical clinical guideline to conduct anthropometric measurements in child undernutrition.

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