Quality Control Issues Related to Assessment of Body Composition

Abstract

There are no internationally agreed quality standards for the measurement of stature, weight, and body composition. This lack of agreement constrains the quality of work in nutrition and must be addressed in order to build systemic capacity within the Scaling Up Nutrition agenda. There is a need to reach agreement and define standards of performance and the required training to be able to demonstrate the competency of those responsible for making the measurements. This, together with the adoption of standardized protocols, traceable reference materials, quality assurance frameworks, and publication guidance, would mark an important first step in improving the conduct and interpretation of measurements of growth and body composition.