Effect of clothing type on validity of air-displacement plethysmography.
The purpose of the study was to evaluate the validity of an air-displacement plethysmography system (AP) within the general population, while wearing (1) a racing-type swimsuit (AP(SS)) and (2) participant's personal undergarments (AP(UG)), against hydrodensitometry (HW). Fifty women and 50 men were measured for body volume, density, and fat percentage by HW and compared with AP(SS) and AP(UG). For women, AP(UG) and AP(SS) were similar, although significant differences (p < 0.001) were observed between AP(UG) and HW and between AP(SS) and HW. For men, there was no significant difference between AP(UG) and HW; however, significant differences (P < or = 0.01) were found between AP(UG) and AP(SS) and between AP(SS) and HW. The small discrepancy in measured values between AP and HW are within the measurement error for the instrumentation and these data support the use of AP for determination of body composition in adults across a wide range of body size (body mass index [BMI] 17.7-35.2 kg.m(-2)) and age (18-57 y). Participants' personal undergarments provide a practical alternative to a spandex swimsuit when measuring body composition by AP in women but not in men.
King
George A
GA
Department of Exercise, Sport, and Leisure Studies and the Center for Physical Activity and Health, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 37996, USA. gking@utep.edu
Fulkerson
Bethany
B
Evans
Michael J
MJ
Moreau
Kerrie L
KL
McLaughlin
James E
JE
Thompson
Dixie L
DL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003020:Clothing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010991:Plethysmography / Q000379:methods*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012727:Sex Characteristics