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Body mass index is not a reliable tool to predict obesity in postmenopausal women

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare two methods of body composition evaluation in postmenopausal women, and establish correlations with the Body Mass Index (BMI). Twenty seven postmenopausal women (58.03±5.33) were evaluated by two body composition methods: Bioimpedance (Biodynamics 310) and Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA). Results of the fat mass showed by the DXA was 38.21±7.46% of the body mass, and 39.05±4.40% by the Bioimpedance, with 0.76 of correlation (Perason’s correlation test). In the other hand, the BMI found was 28.08±4.90. There was a high correlation between DXA and Bioimpedance; however low correlation between DXA and Bioimpedance with BMI. When the body composition classification was made by the BMI, subjects were classified as overweight. In the other hand, DXA and Bioimpedance classified subjects as obese. The main conclusion of this study was that BMI is not a reliable index to classify and determine levels of obesity. Bioimpedance appear to be a satisfactory method to predict body composition in postmenopausal women, since it was observed a significant correlation with the gold standard method for body composition DXA

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