Estimating body surface area from mass and height: Theory and the formula of Du Bois and Du Bois

Body surface areas are usually estimated by means of a formula due in its general form to Du Bois and Du Bois (1916), i.e. area = C x mass(a) x height(b), where C, a and b are empirical constants. Its physical basis is unknown.The present study aimed to explain this formula, correct some errors in the associated literature and provide a clear basis for future developments.Use is made of published data, but arguments are largely based on...