ARTICLES |
Vansant-G; Van-Gaal-L; De-Leeuw-L
Assessment of body composition by skinfold anthropometry and
bioelectrical impedance technique: A comparative study.
Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 18(5): 427-429
1994
English
Both skinfold anthropometry and bioelectrical impedance are
indirect, simple bedside methods to assess body composition. It is
not clear, however, whether the results of these methods are
comparable. In this study, body composition was determined in 449
subjects by skinfold anthropometry and by bioelectrical impedance.
Percentage of body fat ranged from 8.0% to 47.5% with the skinfold
technique and from 0.6% to 78.5% with bioelectrical impedance.
Linear regression analysis showed a significant positive
correlation (r = .84; p lt .0001) between the results of both
techniques. However, plot analysis showed that, in comparison with
bioelectrical impedance, skinfold measurements overestimate fat
mass in the lower weight range and underestimate it in obese
subjects. We conclude that the results of skinfold anthropometry
and bioelectrical impedance are not comparable, especially in the
extreme ranges of body fat. At the present time, other, more
rigorous techniques are necessary to assess body composition
accurately, in the extreme ran es of body fat in particular.
Vansant-G; Van-Gaal-L; De-Leeuw-L
Assessment of body composition by skinfold anthropometry and
bioelectrical impedance technique: A comparative study.
Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 18(5): 427-429
1994
English
Both skinfold anthropometry and bioelectrical impedance are
indirect, simple bedside methods to assess body composition. It is
not clear, however, whether the results of these methods are
comparable. In this study, body composition was determined in 449
subjects by skinfold anthropometry and by bioelectrical impedance.
Percentage of body fat ranged from 8.0% to 47.5% with the skinfold
technique and from 0.6% to 78.5% with bioelectrical impedance.
Linear regression analysis showed a significant positive
correlation (r = .84; p lt .0001) between the results of both
techniques. However, plot analysis showed that, in comparison with
bioelectrical impedance, skinfold measurements overestimate fat
mass in the lower weight range and underestimate it in obese
subjects. We conclude that the results of skinfold anthropometry
and bioelectrical impedance are not comparable, especially in the
extreme ranges of body fat. At the present time, other, more
rigorous techniques are necessary to assess body composition
accurately, in the extreme ran es of body fat in particular. +
Vettorazzi-C; Smits-E; Solomons-N-W
The interobserver reproducibility of bioelectrical impedance
analysis measurements in infants and toddlers.
Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition 19(3): 277-282
1994
English
Although nomograms to convert readings of resistance (R) and
reactance (Xc) into estimates of body composition have begun to
emerge for children as well as adults, there has been reluctance
to use bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) in very young
children due to the irritability of children, measurement
instability, positioning of electrodes, and, of course,
reproducibility of measurements. The precision of completely
independent measurements of BIA indices was evaluated by two
observers by comparing a series of 40 measurements of R and Xc and
36 measurements for weight in four malnourished children on 10
different days during the course of their nutritional
recuperation. For weight, the CV (coefficient of variation) was
3.5% for observer A and 3.8% for observer B. There were no
differences in the means across observers with respect to weight,
R, and Xc. The results obtained in this study illustrate that
properly trained observers following the same standards can
produce equivalent data for BIA and weight measurements even in
sick children.
Vettorazzi-C; Smits-E; Solomons-N-W
The interobserver reproducibility of bioelectrical impedance
analysis measurements in infants and toddlers.
Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition 19(3): 277-282
1994
English
Although nomograms to convert readings of resistance (R) and
reactance (Xc) into estimates of body composition have begun to
emerge for children as well as adults, there has been reluctance
to use bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) in very young
children due to the irritability of children, measurement
instability, positioning of electrodes, and, of course,
reproducibility of measurements. The precision of completely
independent measurements of BIA indices was evaluated by two
observers by comparing a series of 40 measurements of R and Xc and
36 measurements for weight in four malnourished children on 10
different days during the course of their nutritional
recuperation. For weight, the CV (coefficient of variation) was
3.5% for observer A and 3.8% for observer B. There were no
differences in the means across observers with respect to weight,
R, and Xc. The results obtained in this study illustrate that
properly trained observers following the same standards can
produce equivalent data for BIA and weight measurements even in
sick children.