Accuracy of a digital skinfold system for measuring skinfold thickness and estimating body fat

The use of skinfold thickness measurements to evaluate the distribution of subcutaneous adipose tissue and to predict body fat has recognised advantages. However, the different types of skinfold calliper available present limitations that make them unattractive and perhaps less used in daily practice. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the accuracy and functionality of a new digital skinfold system, the Liposoft 2008+Adipsmeter V0 (LA), for measuring skinfold thickness and determining body fat proportion (%BF). Skinfold thickness measurements made by the LA were compared with those obtained with a Harpenden (H) calliper from two samples of adults (n45) and older adults (n56) in a university-based cross-sectional study. A comparison was also conducted between estimated %BF from skinfolds and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Bland and Altman plots show that skinfolds measured by the LA and H calliper are in high agreement, with a mean difference of 0·3 (95 % CI − 3·1, 3·4) mm. In regard to the %BF estimated from LA and H skinfolds measurement, the LA produced a similar approximation to dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry %BF, with a mean difference of 0·2 (95 % CI − 0·8, 1·2) %, compared with %BF obtained with the H calliper. The LA system is an accurate instrumentation and represents an innovation in the evaluation of skinfold thickness and body composition based on anthropometric measurement.

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Comparison of Hydrodensitometry, Skinfold Thickness, and Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry for Body Fat Estimation in Youth Swimmers

Pediatric Exercise Science ◽

10.1123/pes.13.3.238 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 238-245

Author(s):

Georgianna Tuuri ◽

Mark Loftin

Keyword(s):

Linear Regression ◽

Body Fat ◽

Skinfold Thickness ◽

Dual Energy ◽

The Other ◽

Percent Body Fat ◽

Limits Of Agreement ◽

X Ray ◽

Thickness Measurements ◽

Competitive Swimmers

Hydrodensitometry (HD), skinfold thickness measurements (SK), and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) were compared for estimating percent body fat (%BF) in youth competitive swimmers. Agreement was assessed using Bland-Altman plots and linear regression of the differences between methods compared to method means. Limits of agreement between the three techniques were large. Hydrodensitometry and SK demonstrated no difference in precision. Variance was observed between DXA and the other two techniques, with DXA demonstrating a wider distribution of measurement scores than HD or SK. These methods do not appear to be interchangeable when measuring percent body fat in youth swimmers.

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FOUR-SITE SKINFOLDS THICKNESS PERCENTILES of SCHOOLCHILDREN and ADOLESCENTS in TURKEY

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980021003323 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-28

Author(s):

Meltem Soylu ◽

Nazlı Şensoy ◽

İsmet Doğan ◽

Nurhan Doğan ◽

Mümtaz M. Mazicioğlu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Fat ◽

Skinfold Thickness ◽

Population Based ◽

Specific Reference ◽

Fat Percentage ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Lms Method ◽

And Gender ◽

Thickness Measurements ◽

Gender Specific

Abstract Objective: The primary purpose of this study was to establish Turkish smoothed centile charts and LMS tables for four-site skinfold thickness based on a population-based sample and secondary purpose was to elaborate a reference for the percentage of body fat. Design: A cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted between January and May 2017. Triceps, biceps and subscapular, suprailiac skinfold thickness were measured using Holtain skinfold caliper. Age and gender specific percentile values were determined with the LMS method, and body fat percentage was calculated using the Westrate and Deurenberg equation. Setting: Afyonkarahisar province in Turkey. Participants: This study was conducted on 4565, 6-18 years old students. Results: The triceps, biceps, and subscapular skinfolds of the girls were higher than the boys. From the age of seven, the sum of four skinfold thicknesses of the girls was more than those of the boys. This difference became more evident after the age of 12. Although fat percentages of girls showed a fluctuating change, it decreased with the age in boys. Westrate and Deurenberg equation fat percentages of girls until adolescence were lower than boys, but increased after 12 years of age and exceeded that of boys. Conclusions: This study has provided sex and age specific reference values for skinfold thickness, and has shown that obesity in girls is higher than in boys in schoolchildren in Afyonkarahisar. This study has also shown that skinfold thickness measurements are a valuable tool for screening obesity in children.

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Body fat in neonates and young infants: validation of skinfold thickness versus dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition ◽

10.1093/ajcn/76.5.1096 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 76 (5) ◽

pp. 1096-1100 ◽

Cited By ~ 105

Author(s):

Hansjörg Rudolf Schmelzle ◽

Christoph Fusch

Keyword(s):

Body Fat ◽

Skinfold Thickness ◽

Dual Energy ◽

X Ray ◽

Young Infants

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Body fat measurement in elite sport climbers: Comparison of skinfold thickness equations with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry

Journal of Sports Sciences ◽

10.1080/02640410802603863 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 27 (5) ◽

pp. 469-477 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Vanesa España Romero ◽

Jonatan R. Ruiz ◽

Francisco B. Ortega ◽

Enrique G. Artero ◽

Germán Vicente-Rodríguez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Fat ◽

Skinfold Thickness ◽

Dual Energy ◽

Elite Sport ◽

X Ray

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Body fat and fat-free mass measured by bioelectric impedance spectroscopy and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in obese and non-obese adults

British Journal Of Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s000711451100417x ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 107 (8) ◽

pp. 1192-1200 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Paula Berstad ◽

Anna Randby ◽

Gunn Seim Ekeland ◽

Hege Ulveland ◽

Torbjørn Omland ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Impedance Spectroscopy ◽

Body Fat ◽

Individual Variation ◽

Dual Energy ◽

Normal Weight ◽

Mean Difference ◽

Fat Free Mass ◽

Single Individual ◽

X Ray ◽

Bioelectric Impedance

The aim of the present study was to compare body fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) estimates by bioelectric impedance spectroscopy (BIS), with respective estimates by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), in obese and non-obese subjects. Body composition was measured in ninety-three obese and non-obese men and women by BIS device, BodyScout (Fresenius Kabi, Bad Homburg, Germany) and DXA device, Lunar iDXA (GE Healthcare, Madison, WI, USA). Mean difference between the methods was analysed by t tests, and Bland–Altman plots were generated to further examine the differences between the methods. Mean difference between the estimates by DXA and BIS (ΔDXA − BIS and Bland–Altman 95 % limits of agreement) were as follows: FM 4·1 ( − 2·9, 11·2) kg and 4·5 ( − 2·9, 11·8) %, FFM − 4·1 ( − 11·2, 2·9) kg and − 4·5 ( − 11·9, 2·9) %, indicating large inter-individual variation and statistically significant underestimation of FM and overestimation of FFM by BIS, as compared to DXA. The underestimation of FMkg (FM measured in kg) and overestimation of FFMkg (FFM measured in kg) were more pronounced in men than in women, and the underestimation of FM% (FM measured in percent) and overestimation of FFM% (FFM measured in percent) were more pronounced in normal weight (BMI = 20·0–24·9 kg/m2) than in overweight and obese (BMI ≥ 25·0 kg/m2) subjects. BIS may be suitable for classification of a population into groups according to FM and FFM. However, the large inter-individual variation suggests that this BIS device with the proprietary software is insufficient for estimation of single individual body FM and FFM.

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Association between Body Fat and Elevated Blood Pressure among Children and Adolescents Aged 7–17 Years: Using Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) and Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) from a Cross-Sectional Study in China

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18179254 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (17) ◽

pp. 9254

Author(s):

Manman Chen ◽

Jieyu Liu ◽

Ying Ma ◽

Yanhui Li ◽

Di Gao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Children And Adolescents ◽

Body Fat ◽

Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis ◽

Bioelectrical Impedance ◽

Impedance Analysis ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Dual Energy ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

X Ray

To investigate the associations between body fat percentage (BF%) with childhood blood pressure (BP) levels and elevated BP (EBP) risks, and further examine the validity of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), we conducted a cross-sectional study of 1426 children and adolescents aged 7–17 years in Beijing, 2020. EBP, including elevated systolic BP (ESBP) and elevated diastolic BP (EDBP), was defined based on the age- and sex-specific 90th BP reference values of children and adolescents in China. BF% was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and BIA devices, and was divided into four quartiles. Log-binomial models were applied to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). Girls tended to have higher BF% levels than boys (p < 0.05). There was 41.0% of girls who developed EBP. High BF% was associated with increased BP levels with ORs of 0.364 (95%CI = 0.283–0.444) for SBP, 0.112 (95%CI = 0.059–0.165) for DBP, and 1.043 (95%CI = 1.027–1.059) for EBP, while the effects were more pronounced in girls and older-aged children. BIA devices agreed well with BF% assessment obtained by DEXA. High BF% might have negative effects on childhood BP. Convenient measurements of body fat might help to assess childhood obesity and potential risks of hypertension.

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