Final answer:
Anthropometry is used to measure body size and proportions, aiding in health assessments and the standardization of "ideal" body weight. It records measurements that can be compared for individual and population health analysis.
Step-by-step explanation:
Anthropometry is indeed used to determine body size and proportions. This practice involves measuring different parts of the human body and comparing those measurements either to each other or to statistical standards to understand how body parts relate to one another in terms of size and scale. Proportion refers specifically to the size relationship of parts of a body or form to one another and of the parts to the whole, such as the size of a head compared to the entire body. For example, in order to assess the nutritional status of a young child, a public health worker might measure the arm circumference as an indicator of body fat and overall health. Anthropometric data can be critical for standardizing the "ideal" body weight, helping health professionals correlate disease risk with both populations and individuals.
Phrenology, in contrast, is an early science that tried to correlate personality with measurements of parts of a person's skull, and is not directly related to the concept of anthropometry, which is a legitimate and useful measurement practice in health and nutrition science.