Advanced Anthropometric and Body Composition Indices in Sports Science, Nutrition, and Health Assessment: A Systematic Review

Authors:
Preprint
Publisher website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Anthropometric assessment is widely used in sports science, nutrition, and health evaluation as a practical and non-invasive method for analyzing body composition, physical performance, and metabolic health. This review aimed to synthesize current evidence regarding the role of anthropometric parameters in sports sciences, nutritional assessment, and health monitoring. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across major scientific databases, covering publications from 2020 to 2026. The findings indicate that anthropometric variables such as body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), skinfold thickness, body circumferences, fat mass percentage (FM%), fat-free mass index (FFMI), and skeletal muscle mass indicators are strongly associated with athletic performance, nutritional status, and cardiometabolic risk. In sports sciences, these measurements are widely applied for talent identification, training monitoring, and performance optimization. In clinical and nutritional contexts, they contribute to the assessment of obesity, sarcopenia, malnutrition, and metabolic disorders. Advanced indices such as Body Roundness Index (BRI), A Body Shape Index (ABSI), somatotype analysis, and Phantom Z-scores provide improved evaluation of body proportionality and fat distribution. Despite their broad applicability, anthropometric methods present limitations related to measurement variability and population specificity. Therefore, combining anthropometric assessment with advanced body composition techniques is recommended to improve accuracy and individualized evaluation. The future of anthropometric science is expected to evolve toward AI-driven digital assessment systems integrated with personalized medicine and population-specific predictive models, allowing highly accurate, real-time, and individualized evaluation of body composition, metabolic health, and sport performance across diverse populations.

This publication has 184 references indexed in Scilit: