Permalink : http://hdl.handle.net/2115/38787

JaLCDOI : 10.14943/J.HighEdu.16.47

In an administrative dietitian training course, we conducted group education with and without expert instruction for the making of anthropometric measurements such as arm circumference (AC) and triceps skinfold (TSF). Nine students underwent group education, including an oral explanation (10 min) and technical practice (20 min) using a manual that included photographs (group A), while eight students received expert instruction from a medical doctor (10 min) and had technical practice (20 min) (group B). This study assessed the two instruction methods by comparing the intra- and interobserver errors and the coefficient of variation between measurements made on two days (days 1 and 2). The intra- and interobserver errors for both AC and TSF were significantly lower in the expert-instruction group. The intra- and interobserver errors were larger for TSF than for AC, and the interobserver error was larger than the intra-observer error. The results suggested that students tended to make measurements at the wrong point repeatedly. In addition, the average coefficient of variation for the measurements on day 2 was significantly lower than on day 1 only for the intra-observer error for AC in group B. The findings imply that the skill at measuring AC and TSF could be improved by repeated practice after expert instruction and suggest the importance of instruction in group education in the administrative dietitian training course.