Suprailiac or abdominal skinfold thickness measured with a skinfold caliper as a predictor of body density in Japanese adults

金沢大学人間社会研究域人間科学系Measurement of subcutaneous fat thickness with a skinfold caliper is a simple and inexpensive technique for assessment of body composition, but is influenced by the skin site or the obesity level. The resulting measurement errors may influence the prediction accuracy of body density. We therefore aimed to clarify the characteristics of measurement errors with a skinfold caliper and to determine useful measurement sites for the prediction of body density in Japanese adults of wide-ranging age and obesity levels. The present study included 126 Japanese male and 77 female subjects ranging from 21 to 81 years old. They were divided into a "non-obese group" and an "obese group", based on the Japanese criteria of obesity (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2). Subcutaneous fat thickness was measured at 14 sites with a skinfold caliper and ultrasound. Percent body fat was measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, and body density was calculated using Brozek\u27s formula. Sex and obesity level differences in the measurement error of skinfolds (ultrasound minus skinfold caliper measurements) were examined by 2 × 2 ANOVA (sex and obesity groups) for each site. The relationship between body density and the systematic error was examined. We developed an accurate prediction equation for body density with smaller measurement and systematic errors. Although measurement errors in skinfold thickness tended to increase with increasing obesity levels, the influence was smaller for the abdominal and suprailiac skinfolds compared with other sites. Measurement of suprailiac or abdominal skinfold thickness is useful to accurately estimate body density in Japanese adults. © 2007 Tohoku University Medical Press

Comparación metodológica del análisis de la composición corporal antropometría, bioimpedancia y excreción de creatinina

La estimación de la composición corporal proporciona información adecuada para la realización de estudios de crecimiento, nutrición y práctica deportiva. En la actualidad para efectuar este tipo de trabajos existen diversos procedimientos por lo que dada la heterogeneidad los investigadores se planteen dudas respecto a que material, técnica y ecuación emplear a la hora de abordar esta clase de análisis. Para intentar responder en parte a estas cuestiones y establecer unas recomendaciones básicas se plantea el presente trabajo. El objetivo principal es comparar tres técnicas a partir de una muestra de 204 mujeres y 78 varones de 18 a 25 años de edad. Los resultados indican que el método gráfico elaborado por Bland y Altman (1986) permite extraer información detallada sobre la concordancia entre técnicas o ecuaciones. En antropometría el método desarrollado por Drinkwater y Ross (1980), basado en la táctica Phantom, y la ecuación de pliegues de Yuhasz (1974) estiman adecuadamente la composición corporal, mientras que la fórmula de Durnin y Womersley (1974) sobrestima el porcentaje de grasa. El análisis basado en bioimpedancia aunque tienen ventajas sobre otros métodos presenta la limitación de que es altamente dependiente de las ecuaciones de regresión utilizadas. Las expresiones más concordantes con antropometría de acuerdo al análisis Bland y Altman (1986) son: Deurenberg et al.1 (1991), Deurenberg et al.2 (1990b), Lukaski y Bolonchuk1 (1988), Lukaski y Bolonchuk2 (1988) y Segal et al. (1988). Por último, para predecir adecuadamente la masa muscular a partir de la excreción de creatinina en orina se deben controlar numerosos factores y en consecuencia los resultados derivados de su aplicación son menos óptimos que lo inicialmente planteado

Improved prediction of body fat by measuring skinfold thickness, circumferences, and bone breadths

OBJECTIVE: To develop improved predictive regression equations for body fat content derived from common anthropometric measurements. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: 117 healthy German subjects, 46 men and 71 women, 26 to 67 years of age, from two different studies were assigned to a validation and a cross-validation group. Common anthropometric measurements and body composition by DXA were obtained. Equations using anthropometric measurements predicting body fat mass (BFM) with DXA as a reference method were developed using regression models. RESULTS: The final best predictive sex-specific equations combining skinfold thicknesses (SF), circumferences, and bone breadth measurements were as follows: BFM(New) (kg) for men = -40.750 + {(0.397 x waist circumference) + [6.568 x (log triceps SF + log subscapular SF + log abdominal SF)]} and BFM(New) (kg) for women = -75.231 + {(0.512 x hip circumference) + [8.889 x (log chin SF + log triceps SF + log subscapular SF)] + (1.905 x knee breadth)}. The estimates of BFM from both validation and cross-validation had an excellent correlation, showed excellent correspondence to the DXA estimates, and showed a negligible tendency to underestimate percent body fat in subjects with higher BFM compared with equations using a two-compartment (Durnin and Womersley) or a four-compartment (Peterson) model as the reference method. DISCUSSION: Combining skinfold thicknesses with circumference and/or bone breadth measures provide a more precise prediction of percent body fat in comparison with established SF equations. Our equations are recommended for use in clinical or epidemiological settings in populations with similar ethnic background

Improved prediction of body fat by measuring skinfold thickness, circumferences, and bone breadths

OBJECTIVE: To develop improved predictive regression equations for body fat content derived from common anthropometric measurements. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: 117 healthy German subjects, 46 men and 71 women, 26 to 67 years of age, from two different studies were assigned to a validation and a cross-validation group. Common anthropometric measurements and body composition by DXA were obtained. Equations using anthropometric measurements predicting body fat mass (BFM) with DXA as a reference method were developed using regression models. RESULTS: The final best predictive sex-specific equations combining skinfold thicknesses (SF), circumferences, and bone breadth measurements were as follows: BFM(New) (kg) for men = -40.750 + {(0.397 x waist circumference) + [6.568 x (log triceps SF + log subscapular SF + log abdominal SF)]} and BFM(New) (kg) for women = -75.231 + {(0.512 x hip circumference) + [8.889 x (log chin SF + log triceps SF + log subscapular SF)] + (1.905 x knee breadth)}. The estimates of BFM from both validation and cross-validation had an excellent correlation, showed excellent correspondence to the DXA estimates, and showed a negligible tendency to underestimate percent body fat in subjects with higher BFM compared with equations using a two-compartment (Durnin and Womersley) or a four-compartment (Peterson) model as the reference method. DISCUSSION: Combining skinfold thicknesses with circumference and/or bone breadth measures provide a more precise prediction of percent body fat in comparison with established SF equations. Our equations are recommended for use in clinical or epidemiological settings in populations with similar ethnic background