J Am Diet Assoc
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Insurance companies have dominated the development of height-weight tables. Initially, tables indicated average weights for insurees, revealing weight gains with increasing age. While pneumonia and tuberculosis were leading causes of death, underweight was considered undesirable because it was associated with those conditions. ⋯ Although stated weights are those associated with the lowest mortality, they are not labeled "ideal" or "desirable". A method for determining body frame size through measurements of elbow breadth is presented. Health care providers should be aware of the latest revisions of these widely used tables, their philosophy, and data source to ensure most suitable use.