title: Comparison of obesity assessment procedures in obese African-American and white women.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to compare the accuracy of dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) to field-based procedures for the estimation of obesity in 27 sedentary and obese African-American (AA) (34.8, +/- 7.7 yr) and 25 sedentary and obese White women (41.1, +/- 8.3 yr). Body fat was estimated by DEXA and skinfolds equations. Obesity was also estimated from BMI and percent of ideal body weight (greater than 120% of ideal body weight based on height and weight tables). All of the procedures classified the subjects as obese. Results from each procedure were compared with minimal obesity standards to determine the percentage by which each mean exceeded the minimal standard (percent difference). The percent difference was smaller for BMI and percent ideal body weight than for the 2 body fat assessment procedures. Although DEXA percent body fat did not differ by race, BMI and percent ideal body weight tended to be greater in AA women compared to White women, and more AA women were classified as obese. Therefore, field-based procedures that do not include percent body fat assessments are not as accurate for AA women. This finding suggests that obesity can be more effectively assessed in AA women if the standards for classifications are population-specific.
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology and Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta 30303, USA. lbrandon@gsu.edu
authors.forename: L Jerome
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Brandon
authors.forename: Mary Beth
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Elliott-Loyd
authors.forename: Jimmy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Calloway
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon / Q000592:standards; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000208:ethnology*; D012885:Skinfold Thickness; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People