Use of knee height for the estimation of body height in Thai adult women 1 2 Running Title : Knee height for the estimated height 3 4

24 Knee height has been the most frequently used in measure for predicting in cases where full 25 height is difficult to measure. The aim of this study was to develop and validate predictive 26 equations using knee height to estimate the height of Thai women. The female participants 27 were 18-59 years of age and lived in Bangkok and three surrounding provinces. They were 28 assigned to one of two groups; the equation development group (n=488) and the equation 29 validation group (n=188). Standing height and knee height were measured in duplicate using 30 a stadiometer and a knee height caliper. Age and physical characteristics of the equation 31 development group and the validate group were comparable. The measured heights showed a 32 significant strongly positive correlation with the mean knee height (r=0.84, p<0.001). Mean 33 knee height in a regression model exhibited the most accurate height prediction (adjusted R = 34 0.718, standard error of estimate =2.80), according to the equation “Height = 38.101 + 2.452 35 (average knee height) 0.051(age)”. This study proposes a new height estimation equation 36 for Thai adult women using knee height. The equation shows more estimation power than the 37 previous studies conducted in Thailand. 38 39