Superiority of skinfold measurements and waist over waist-to-hip ratio for determination of body fat distribution in a population-based cohort of Caucasian Dutch adults

2007 ◽  
Vol 156 (6) ◽  
pp. 655-661 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iris J G Ketel ◽  
Mariken N M Volman ◽  
Jacob C Seidell ◽  
Coen D A Stehouwer ◽  
Jos W Twisk ◽  
...  

Objective: To determine which anthropometric measurement is the most reliable alternative for fat distribution as measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Design: Population-based survey carried out in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Subjects and methods: A total of 376 individuals (200 women) with a mean age of 36.5 years and mean body mass index (BMI) of 24.0 (±3.1) kg/m2 underwent various anthropometric and DXA measurements of central (CFM) and peripheral fat mass (PFM). Furthermore, for the assessment of apple-shaped body composition, CFM-to-PFM ratio was calculated. Anthropometric measurements were waist and hip circumference, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), BMI, waist/length and the skinfold thickness of biceps, triceps, suprailiacal (SI), subscapular (SS) and upper leg. We determined whether equations of combined anthropometrics were even more reliable for the assessment of fat mass. Results: In both women and men, reliable alternatives for CFM are central skinfolds and waist (Pearson’s correlation (r) ≥ 0.8). Peripheral skinfolds are the best predictors of PFM (r ≥ 0.8). In contrast, WHR correlated only marginally with any of the DXA measurements. Equations based on several anthropometric variables correlate with CFM even better (R2 ≥ 0.8). CFM-to-PFM ratio has the highest correlation with the ratio (SS+SI)/BMI in women (r = 0.66) and waist/length in men (r = 0.71). Equations are reasonable alternatives of CFM-to-PFM ratio (R2 ≥ 0.5). Conclusion: Waist and skinfolds are reliable alternatives for the measurement of body fat mass in a cohort of Caucasian adults. WHR is not appropriate for the measurement of fat distribution.

2006 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 296-304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vatan Kavak

Our aim in this study was to determine the body fat percentage of teenagers in Diyarbakir, a city in southeast Turkey. The study included 1118 children between the ages of 10 to 15. Basic anthropometric measurements including body-mass index (BMI) and skinfold thickness were taken. The skinfold thickness were measured with a Lange skinfold caliper. Fat mass percentage (FM %) was predicted by using skinfold thickness equations. Differences between boys and girls across age groups for weight, height, and BMI were found to be statistically significant (P < 0.0001). With respect to skinfold thickness in the 10-y-old group, the thickness at triceps and subscapular sites in girls was higher than those of boys. In the 12-y-old group, the thickness was found to be higher in girls than boys at the triceps, biceps, and subscapular sites. We found that an increase in skinfold thickness in the 13, 14, and 15-y-old groups was significantly higher among girls than boys and tended to increase with age. However, such a tendency was not shown in boys. This tendency was found only at the triceps site in 10, 12, and 13-y-old boys. In addition, the skinfold thickness at the biceps site was found to be greater in the 14-y-old boys. The body fat mass percent in girls, especially those older than age 13, was also increased.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-28
Author(s):  
Meltem Soylu ◽  
Nazlı Şensoy ◽  
İsmet Doğan ◽  
Nurhan Doğan ◽  
Mümtaz M. Mazicioğlu ◽  
...  

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.


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 528 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robinson Ramírez-Vélez ◽  
Mikel Izquierdo ◽  
Jorge Correa-Bautista ◽  
María Correa-Rodríguez ◽  
Jacqueline Schmidt-RioValle ◽  
...  

This study had two main objectives: To examine the association between body fat distribution and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and liver fat content, and to determine whether the relationship between NAFLD and regional body fat distribution, with respect to liver fat content in youths with excess adiposity, is independent of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and a healthy diet. Liver fat content (controlled attenuation parameter (CAP)), body fat distribution (body mass index (BMI) z-score, waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, fat mass/height, body fat percentage, total fat mass, android-to-gynoid fat mass ratio, visceral adipose tissue (VAT), and lean mass index, determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)), CRF (20-m shuttle-run test), and healthy diet (adherence to the Mediterranean diet by KIDMED questionnaire) were measured in 126 adolescents (66% girls) aged between 11 and 17 years. Participants were assigned to two groups according to the presence or absence of hepatic steatosis (CAP values ≥225 dB/m or <225 dB/m of liver fat, respectively). Considering the similar total fat values for the two groups (>30% by DXA), youths with NAFLD had higher fat distribution parameters than those without NAFLD, regardless of sex, age, puberty stage, lean mass index, CRF, and healthy diet (p < 0.01). In the non-NAFLD group, the association between hepatic fat and fat distribution parameters presented a similar pattern, although the association was statistically insignificant after adjusting for a potential confounding variable (ps > 0.05), except for the case of VAT. Body fat distribution parameters were higher in youths with NAFLD compared to those without NAFLD. Additionally, body fat distribution showed a significant association with liver fat content as assessed by CAP in youths with NAFLD independent of CRF and adherence to the Mediterranean diet, supporting the notion that upper body fat distribution might play a pivotal role in the development of NAFLD in adolescents. These results may have implications for the clinical management of youths with excess adiposity given the high prevalence of NAFLD in children and young adults.


2018 ◽  
Vol 104 (3) ◽  
pp. 900-905 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Tiraboschi ◽  
Antonio Navarro-Alcaraz ◽  
Dolors Giralt ◽  
Carmen Gomez-Vaquero ◽  
Maria Saumoy ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives To describe the changes in body fat distribution (BFD) occurring over 60 months in a group of antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naive individuals starting different antiretroviral regimens. Methods A prospective ongoing fat change assessment including clinical evaluation and dual X-ray absorptiometry scan is being conducted in all consecutive patients initiating ART from January 2008. Arm, leg, trunk, and total fat as well as fat mass ratio were determined. Results A total of 146 patients were included (80% male, 40% MSM). Mean age was 44 years, HIV-1 RNA was 4.98 log10 copies/mL, and CD4 count was 254 cells/μL. The most common initial antiretroviral combination included non-nucleoside reverse transcription inhibitor (NNRTI) drugs followed by protease inhibitor (PI) and integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI)-based regimens. At month 36, an increase was seen in the body mass index (BMI), total fat, trunk fat, and limb fat. The fat mass ratio (FMR) also showed a significant increase in both men and women (P = 0.001). In patients receiving NNRTI- or INSTI-based regimens (but not PIs), there was a marginal but statistically significant increase in the FMR (0.10 and 0.07, respectively; P = 0.01). Sixty-two subjects completed 60 months of follow-up. FMR showed a significant increase even in the PI group at this time point (P &lt; 0.03). Conclusions We observed a significant increase in the fat and lean body mass in all compartments and treatment groups over 36 and 60 months. Clinically irrelevant differences were found in fat distribution regardless of the treatment group and baseline characteristics. The data suggest that current antiretroviral regimens have little impact on BFD during the first years of treatment.


2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (9) ◽  
pp. 1358-1363 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harald Mangge ◽  
Wilfried Renner ◽  
Gunter Almer ◽  
Hans-Jürgen Gruber ◽  
Sieglinde Zelzer ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Overweight and obese individuals have a reduced life expectancy due to cardiovascular disease (CVD), type 2 diabetes, stroke and cancer. Systemic inflammation and premature telomere shortening have been discussed as potential mechanisms linking these conditions. We investigated the relation of subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) distribution to leukocyte relative telomere length (RTL). Methods We measured RTL in 375 participants of the observational STYJOBS/EDECTA cohort (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT00482924) using a qPCR based method. SAT distribution was determined by lipometry yielding a percent body fat value and SAT thicknesses at 15 standardized locations across the entire body. A correlation analysis between RTL, age, sex, lipometry data and conventional body measures (body mass index [BMI], waist-, hip circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, waist-to-height ratio) was calculated. The strongest determinants of RTL were determined by a stepwise multiple regression analysis. Results RTL was not associated with age or sex. RTL was significantly negatively correlated with BMI, percent body fat, waist-, hip circumference and waist-to-height ratio. Furthermore, RTL correlated with SAT at the following locations: neck, triceps, biceps, upper back, front chest, lateral chest, upper abdomen, lower abdomen, lower back, hip, front thigh, lateral thigh, rear thigh and calf. Stepwise regression analysis revealed nuchal and hip SAT as the strongest predictors of RTL. No significant association was seen between RTL and waist-to-hip ratio. Conclusions RTL is negatively associated with parameters describing body fat composure. Nuchal and hip SAT thicknesses are the strongest predictors of RTL. Central obesity appears to correlate with premature genomic aging.


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