Evaluation of body fat changes during weight loss by using improved anthropometric predictive equations.
OBJECTIVE
Skinfold-based equations are widely used to evaluate body fat (BF), but over-/underestimation is often reported. We evaluate the capacity of improved skinfold-based equations to estimate BF changes during weight reduction and compare them against well-established equations.


METHODS
Overweight adults (n = 44) participated in a 4-month weight reduction intervention. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and anthropometric measurements were taken at baseline and after intervention. The BF% was calculated using García, Peterson, and Durnin and Womersley (DW) equations.


RESULTS
Baseline and postintervention BF% measured by DXA correlated highest with BF% predicted according to García (r = 0.934 and r = 0.948, respectively), followed by Peterson (r = 0.941 and r = 0.932, respectively) and DW (r = 0.557 and r = 0.402, respectively); only a slight systematic error in overestimating the BF% was observed in estimates according to García (r = 0.147 and r = 0.104, respectively; p < 0.001), while increasing errors occurred using the Peterson (r = 0.624 and r = 0.712, respectively; p < 0.001) and DW (r = 0.767 and r = 0.769, respectively; p < 0.001) equations. Moderate correlations between BF changes (kg) measured by DXA and predicted by DW (r = 0.7211), Peterson (r = 0.697), and García (r = 0.645) were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Improved skinfold equations cannot accurately measure changes in BF after weight reduction.
García
Ada L
AL
Dietary Fibre and the Metabolic Syndrome Group, German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbrucke, Nuthetal, Germany. garcia@mail.dife.de
Wagner
Karen
K
Einig
Christiana
C
Trippo
Ulrike
U
Koebnick
Corinna
C
Zunft
Hans-Joachim F
HJ
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon / Q000379:methods; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000886:Anthropometry; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008433:Mathematics; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000628:therapy*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology*