Comparison of body composition methods in obese African-American women.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the accuracy of percentage body fat (%BF) estimates between bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and DXA in obese African-American women.


METHODS
Fifty-five obese African-American women (mean age, 45 years; mean BMI, 38; mean %BF, 48%) were studied. BF was assessed by both BIA (RJL Systems BIA 101Q; RJL Systems, Clinton Township, MI) and DXA (Hologic QDR-2000 Bone Densitometer; Hologic Inc., Bedford, MA). Generalized and ethnicity- and obese-specific equations were used to calculate %BF from the BIA. Bland-Altman analyses were used to compare the agreement between the BIA and the DXA, with the DXA serving as the criterion measure.


RESULTS
Two of the generalized equations provided consistent estimates across the weight range in comparison with the DXA estimates, whereas most of the other equations increasingly underestimated %BF as BF increased. One of the generalized and one of the ethnicity-specific equations had mean differences that were not significantly different from the DXA value.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings show that the Lukaski equation provided the most precise and accurate estimates of %BF in comparison with the QDR 2000 and provide preliminary support for the use of this equation for obese African-American women.
Newton
Robert L
RL
Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University, 6400 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, USA. NewtonRL@pbrc.edu
Alfonso
Anthony
A
York-Crowe
Emily
E
Walden
Heather
H
White
Marney A
MA
Ryan
Donna
D
Williamson
Donald A
DA
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000886:Anthropometry; D001823:Body Composition; D017097:Electric Impedance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity