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01-12-2020 | Obesity | Research

Body fat percentage assessment by skinfold equation, bioimpedance and densitometry in older adults

Authors: Erika Aparecida Silveira, Larissa Silva Barbosa, Ana Paula Santos Rodrigues, Matias Noll, Cesar De Oliveira

Published in: Archives of Public Health | Issue 1/2020

Abstract

Background

Body fat estimation allows measuring changes over time attributed to interventions and treatments in different settings such as hospitals, clinical practice, nursing homes and research. However, only few studies have compared different body fat estimation methods in older adults with inconsistent results. We estimated body fat percentage (%BF) and the level of agreement among dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), bioelectrical impedance (BIA) and Durnin & Womersley’s skinfold eq. (SF) in older Brazilian adults aged 60 years and older from the Elderly Project Goiânia, Brazil.

Methods

The analytical sample comprised of 132 participants who had DXA data. The level of agreement for the %BF estimated by BIA, SF and DXA i.e. reference method, was examined using Bland and Altman’s and Lin’s plot.

Results

Overall, women had higher body mass index and %BF values measured by all three methods used. BIA and SF equation showed strong concordance to estimate body fat percentage in all participants (CCC = 0.857 and 0.861, respectively) and among women (CCC = 0.788 and 0.726, respectively) when compared to DXA. However, both methods underestimated body fat percentage in women and men with high body fat percentage. A strong level of agreement was observed between DXA and the anthropometric equation developed by Durnin & Womersley in men (CCC = 0.846), while BIA had a moderate concordance (CCC = 0.505) in this group.

Conclusion

The examined methods indicated different body fat estimates. However, the best agreement was observed between DXA and the anthropometric SF equation for men. Future research in older adults should develop new SF equations considering different ethnic groups.

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Title: Body fat percentage assessment by skinfold equation, bioimpedance and densitometry in older adults
Authors: Erika Aparecida Silveira
Larissa Silva Barbosa
Ana Paula Santos Rodrigues
Matias Noll
Cesar De Oliveira
Publication date: 01-12-2020
Publisher: BioMed Central
Keywords: Obesity
Obesity
Published in: Archives of Public Health / Issue 1/2020
Electronic ISSN: 2049-3258
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-020-00449-4

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Body fat percentage assessment by skinfold equation, bioimpedance and densitometry in older adults

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

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