Anthropometrical Tests

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Height
3. Weight
4. Body Mass Index (BMI)
5. Waist-to-hip Ratio
6. Limb Circumference
7. Blood Pressure
   1. Test Protocol
   2. Preparations for use
   3. Interpretation of Results
   4. What causes high blood pressure?
   5. Advice to help reduce the risk of high BP
8. Heart Rate at Rest
9. Lung Function
10. Lung Capacity/Volume
11. Body Composition
12. Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA)
13. Omron Body Fat Measurement

What causes high blood pressure?

One cause of hypertension is the narrowing of the arteries. It's rather like a hosepipe. If you think of it as the force of water in a hosepipe, if you were to pinch the end of the hose, pressure in the hose increases and the water spurts further. When the arteries narrow, the pressure increases - but since your blood is a closed network of tubes, it has nowhere else to go so the pressure in the whole system goes up.

If this abnormally high blood pressure is not detected, heart attacks and strokes can follow. High blood pressure is not uncommon; around 1 in 7 people in Britain will have it at some time. High blood pressure also tends to run in families, so if a relative is affected it is worth having regular checks.

There are many reasons for high blood pressure, for example, smoking, alcohol, stress and anxiety, overweight, poor eating habits and sedentary lifestyles.