Agreement of a Mobile 3D Body Scanning App for Anthropometrics

Authors

Gabriella D. Martinez, Texas A&M University-San AntonioFollow
Faith Aldama, Texas A&M University-San AntonioFollow
Lillianna Guajardo, Texas A&M University-San AntonioFollow
John D. Smith, Texas A&M University-San AntonioFollow

Abstract

Consumers are increasingly seeking technology to help track health improvements. This study focuses on a free app that using 3D body scanning to assess anthropometric measures. PURPOSE: to evaluate the validity of a free app for measuring body anthropometrics compared to criterion measures. METHODS: Thirty-two participants (age= 25.9±9.1 years, height= 165.5±10.9 cm, weight= 79.0±20.6 kg) had chest, biceps, forearm, waist, abdomen, hip, thigh, and calf circumferences measured with a flexible measuring tape, and then by the MeThreeSixty app. Dependent (paired) t-tests were used to assess differences between actual and app measures. Bland Altman plots illustrated agreement between measures and percent error was calculated as ((app-actual)/actual)*100. Alpha was set at .05 for all tests. RESULTS: There was a significant difference between actual and app measures for all sites (pp>.05). Agreement was least with hip and calf, and greatest with forearm and abdomen. Absolute error followed the same trend, which was least with hip (6.3%) and calf (6.8%), and greatest with forearm (14.8%) and abdomen (13.7%). CONCLUSIONS: Since the app can have substantial error and low agreement for some anthropometrics, caution should be used if accurate measures for certain sites are needed.

Recommended Citation

Martinez, Gabriella D.; Aldama, Faith; Guajardo, Lillianna; and Smith, John D. (2025) "Agreement of a Mobile 3D Body Scanning App for Anthropometrics," International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings: Vol. 2: Iss. 17, Article 127.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol2/iss17/127