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Body composition assessment in lean and normal-weight young women

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

G. Mikael Fogelholm ,
T. Katriina Kukkonen-Harjula ,
Harri T. Sievänen ,
Pekka Oja  and
Ilkka M. Vuori
G. Mikael Fogelholm
Affiliation:
UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, PO Box 30, FIN-33501 Tampere, Finland
T. Katriina Kukkonen-Harjula
Affiliation:
UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, PO Box 30, FIN-33501 Tampere, Finland
Harri T. Sievänen
Affiliation:
UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, PO Box 30, FIN-33501 Tampere, Finland
Pekka Oja
Affiliation:
UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, PO Box 30, FIN-33501 Tampere, Finland
Ilkka M. Vuori
Affiliation:
UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, PO Box 30, FIN-33501 Tampere, Finland
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Abstract

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Using percentage body fat (BF%) from a three-compartment (3C) model (body density from underwater weighing (UWW) and bone-mineral mass from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)) as a criterion, we studied the accuracy of UWW, DXA, two skinfold equations, and two bioimpedance (BIA) equations. Thirty-four women (aged 16–20 years) with BF% 13·5–31·1 volunteered. UWW underestimated BF% by −0·5 BF% (95 % CI: −1·0; −0·02), whereas DXA overestimated it by 7·3 BF% (95% CI5.8;8·8). Skinfolds underestimated and BIA overpredicted BF%. The differences between 3C and UWW, skinfolds (Durnin & Womersley, 1974) and BIA (Deurenberg et al. 1990) were dependent (range of r values: −0.63 to −0.79; P < 0·0001) on BF%, causing an overestimation of lean subjects' (UWW, BIA) or an underestimation of normal-weight subjects' (UWW, skinfolds) BF%. The 3C model and UWW gave comparable body-composition results for healthy young women with BF% of approximately 20–25. Based on a significant mean difference from the 3C model, and a large standard error of the estimate, we do not regard DXA as superior to skinfolds or BIA to assess BF%.

Keywords

BioimpedanceBody compositionBoneDual-energy X-ray absorptiometry
Type
Body composition assessment
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 75 , Issue 6 , June 1996 , pp. 793 - 802
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1996

References

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