Biomarkers · Anthropometric

Calf Circumference

Higher values go with lower risk of death. Not measured in our NHANES panel. The curve is drawn from the published study (source below).

Calf Circumference and risk of death

Published curve higher than the NHANES fitNHANES fit higher

Risk of death relative to the curve's reference value, drawn from the published study (source below).

Published risk of death0.95×per 1 cm increase in calf circumference (95% CI 0.94–0.96) · Meta-analysis of 37 cohort studies of adults >=18 y (community, nursing home and hospital settings), 62,736 participants

Calf Circumference by age and sex

Each bar runs from the 5th to the 95th percentile, the darker part from the 25th to the 75th, and the tick is the median. Not a reference range or a target.

The percentiles as a table

Each row is one sex and age band: the values below which 5%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 95% of people fall (cm), from the survey named in the row. Not a reference range or a target.
Sex	Age	5th	25th	Median	75th	95th	n	Cycle / source
All	20-39	32.5	36.0	38.6	41.5	47.1	1,446	NHANES 2005-2006
All	40-59	33.4	36.5	39.2	42.4	47.7	1,389	NHANES 2005-2006
All	60+	31.3	34.7	37.4	40.4	45.5	1,359	NHANES 2005-2006
All	all	32.5	36.0	38.6	41.6	47.1	4,194	NHANES 2005-2006
Men	20-39	34.2	37.0	39.3	41.9	47.1	761	NHANES 2005-2006
Men	40-59	34.5	38.0	40.0	42.7	46.9	687	NHANES 2005-2006
Men	60+	32.6	35.7	38.2	40.8	44.0	703	NHANES 2005-2006
Men	all	33.9	37.0	39.4	42.0	46.7	2,151	NHANES 2005-2006
Women	20-39	31.7	34.8	37.8	40.7	47.0	685	NHANES 2005-2006
Women	40-59	32.9	35.6	38.1	42.0	48.0	702	NHANES 2005-2006
Women	60+	30.7	34.0	36.7	39.8	47.0	656	NHANES 2005-2006
Women	all	31.8	35.0	37.5	41.0	47.7	2,043	NHANES 2005-2006

What studies found when this marker was changed

They describe what happened in those study groups, not a recommendation. See all catalogued interventions.

Measured changes in Calf Circumference, study by study

1 effect with a numeric size, each from one study arm: the dot is the reported change, the line its 95% interval where one was given. Green points move the marker the way lower risk of death lies; amber the other way. Study results in the groups studied, not predictions for a person.

Each row is one study: what was changed, the effect it reported on this marker, and the source.
Type	Intervention	Reported effect	Evidence	Source
diet	Three daily meals each containing 10 g soy protein (30 g/day) for 12 weeks in long-term care residents	Calf circumference +0.56 ± 0.22 cm with soy vs -0.91 ± 0.26 cm in controls over 12 weeks (p interaction < 0.001)	RCT	Wu X, et al. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2026. The Effects of Soy…

Sources

Risk curve: Li 2022 (PMID 36156674): all-cause RR 0.95 (0.94-0.96) per 1 cm increase in calf circumference. Scaled to US values (NHANES).
Li et al. Calf Circumference and All-Cause Mortality: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Based on Trend Estimation Approaches. The journal of nutrition, health & aging. 2022;26:826-838.

Map Calf Circumference against another biomarker.

Map Calf Circumference against another marker