height, weight and BMI, nine arm anthropometric characteristics, viz. upper arm length, forearm length, total arm length, upper arm circumference, arm muscle area, upper arm area, upper arm bone-free muscle mass, arm fat area and arm fat index, and grip strength of both right and left hands were measured on each subject using standard techniques [23] by the same investigators and were measured in triplicate with the median value used as the criterion. The height was recorded during inspiration using a stadio meter (Holtain Ltd., Crymych, Dyfed, UK) to the nearest 0.1 cm. The subject was asked to stand erect on the stadio meter barefoot. The horizontal bar of the stadio meter was placed on the subject’s vertex and the readings were recorded. The weight was measured by digital standing scales (Model DS-410, Seiko, Tokyo, Japan) to the nearest 0.1 kg. The subject was asked to stand erect on the digital weighing machine barefoot and with minimum clothes on. The readings were recorded from the scales of the digital weighing machine. The BMI was then calculated using the formula weight (kg) / height 2 (m).The triceps skin fold was measured on the back of the upper arm over the triceps muscle using Harpenden skin fold caliper (Holtain Ltd, Crosswell, Crymych, UK) to the nearest 0.2 mm. The arm girth was measured from the mid of the upper arm by a flexible metallic tape (Holtain Ltd) from the right side of the subject. The arm muscle girth,
height, weight and BMI, nine arm anthropometric characteristics, viz. upper arm length, forearm length, total arm length, upper arm circumference, arm muscle area, upper arm area, upper arm bone-free muscle mass, arm fat area and arm fat index, and grip strength of both right and left hands were measured on each subject using standard techniques [23] by the same investigators and were measured in triplicate with the median value used as the criterion. The height was recorded during inspiration using a stadio meter (Holtain Ltd., Crymych, Dyfed, UK) to the nearest 0.1 cm. The subject was asked to stand erect on the stadio meter barefoot. The horizontal bar of the stadio meter was placed on the subject’s vertex and the readings were recorded. The weight was measured by digital standing scales (Model DS-410, Seiko, Tokyo, Japan) to the nearest 0.1 kg. The subject was asked to stand erect on the digital weighing machine barefoot and with minimum clothes on. The readings were recorded from the scales of the digital weighing machine. The BMI was then calculated using the formula weight (kg) / height 2 (m).The triceps skin fold was measured on the back of the upper arm over the triceps muscle using Harpenden skin fold caliper (Holtain Ltd, Crosswell, Crymych, UK) to the nearest 0.2 mm. The arm girth was measured from the mid of the upper arm by a flexible metallic tape (Holtain Ltd) from the right side of the subject. The arm muscle girth,