Use of hand-to-hand impedancemetry to predict body composition of African women as measured by air displacement plethysmography.
OBJECTIVE
To test the validity of a simple, rapid, field-adapted, portable hand-held impedancemeter (HHI) for the estimation of lean body mass (LBM) and percentage body fat (%BF) in African women, and to develop specific predictive equations.


METHODS
Cross-sectional observational study.


METHODS
Dakar, the capital city of Senegal, West Africa.


METHODS
A total sample of 146 women volunteered. Their mean age was of 31.0 y (s.d. 9.1), weight 60.9 kg (s.d. 13.1) and BMI 22.6 kg/m(2) (s.d. 4.5).


METHODS
Body composition values estimated by HHI were compared to those measured by whole body densitometry performed by air displacement plethysmography (ADP). The specific density of LBM in black subjects was taken into account for the calculation of %BF from body density.


RESULTS
: Estimations from HHI showed a large bias (mean difference) of 5.6 kg LBM (P<10(-4)) and -8.8 %BF (P<10(-4)) and errors (s.d. of the bias) of 2.6 kg LBM and 3.7 %BF. In order to correct for the bias, specific predictive equations were developed. With the HHI result as a single predictor, error values were of 1.9 kg LBM and 3.7 %BF in the prediction group (n=100), and of 2.2 kg LBM and 3.6 %BF in the cross-validation group (n=46). Addition of anthropometrical predictors was not necessary.


CONCLUSIONS
The HHI analyser significantly overestimated LBM and underestimated %BF in African women. After correction for the bias, the body compartments could easily be estimated in African women by using the HHI result in an appropriate prediction equation with a good precision. It remains to be seen whether a combination of arm and leg impedancemetry in order to take into account lower limbs would further improve the prediction of body composition in Africans.
Nutrition Unit, UR 106 (WHO Collaborating Centre for Nutrition), IRD (Institut de Recherche pour le Développement), Montpellier, France. gartner@.ird.sn
A
A
Gartner
A
A
Dioum
F
F
Delpeuch
B
B
Maire
Y
Y
Schutz
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D044383:Black People; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003720:Densitometry / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D017097:Electric Impedance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010993:Plethysmography, Whole Body / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity