Comparative analysis of measuring the body fat percentage by anthropometric methods and bioimpedance

Abstract

Introduction/Objective Body fat percentage (BFP) is the most reliable indicator of the nutritional status. For clinical practice, it is important but also insufficiently examined whether the determination of BFP should be relied exclusively on the latest methods or whether classical anthropometric methods are also reliable. The aim was to investigate the correlation between the results of BFP measuring using a contemporary method of bioimpedance and classic methods of skin fold thickness (SFT) and body mass index (BMI).

Method There were 279 patients of the Dietetic Counseling Center of the Institute for Public Health in Niš who were included in the research during 2015. BFP was determined using three classic anthropometric methods: SFT over the triceps, SFT over the scapula, and BMI. OMRON BF 302 apparatus was used for BFP measuring using the bioimpedance method.

Results Using single-factor analysis of variance we found a statistically significant difference between the mean values of the BFP obtained with bioimpedance and those obtained with anthropometric methods (F = 24.19, p < 0.05). Post hoc analysis revealed a statistically significant difference between the BFP determined with bioimpedance and SFT over the triceps and the scapula, while the anthropometric method based on BMI gave the results similar to those from bioimpedance.

Conclusion We show that the most reliable anthropometric method of determination of BFP is that based on BMI, as its results correlate best with those obtained with a contemporary method of bioimpedance.

Keywords: body fat percentage; BMI; bioimpedance