Anthropometric Parameters of the Working Population in Latin America: A Systematic Review

Problem: The lack of knowledge regarding the anthropometric parameters of Latin American workers leads to the design of workstations that do not meet ergonomic requirements, posing a risk to people's health and contributing to the development of occupational diseases. Objective: To conduct a systematic bibliographic review of prior research on anthropometric parameters related to seated work activities. Methodology: An exploratory and descriptive documentary investigation was carried out, based on existing research related to the topic. The PRISMA method for systematic reviews was applied, following this chronological order: definition of review protocols, identification of information sources, establishment of eligibility criteria, assessment of bias risk in individual studies, synthesis of results, summary of evidence, among others. Articles related to the topic and published in academic journals indexed in Scopus, Science Direct, Google Scholar, PubMed, Scielo, Lilacs, and Redalyc were reviewed. Results: Anthropometric dimensions with available data from at least three Latin American countries include: weight, height, eye height (standing), shoulder height (standing), elbow height (standing), sitting height, eye height (sitting), shoulder height (sitting), elbow height (sitting), elbow to elbow breadth (sitting), hip breadth (sitting), popliteal height (sitting), thigh clearance, and abdominal depth (sitting). Over time, there is a positive secular trend of increasing body dimensions, notably in height, but even more so in weight and body mass index. In South American populations, an increase of 10 to 20 mm in average height over the last 20 years has been observed, along with increases in weight, shoulder breadth, BMI, popliteal height, buttock-popliteal length, and hip breadth. Conclusion: The findings revealed 14 anthropometric dimensions for women from at least three Latin American countries of working age, and 13 dimensions for men. Countries with available anthropometric data include Argentina, Colombia, Cuba, Chile, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela.