title: Percent body fat estimations in college women using field and laboratory methods: a three-compartment model approach.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Methods used to estimate percent body fat can be classified as a laboratory or field technique. However, the validity of these methods compared to multiple-compartment models has not been fully established. This investigation sought to determine the validity of field and laboratory methods for estimating percent fat (%fat) in healthy college-age women compared to the Siri three-compartment model (3C).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty Caucasian women (21.1 +/- 1.5 yrs; 164.8 +/- 4.7 cm; 61.2 +/- 6.8 kg) had their %fat estimated by BIA using the BodyGramtrade mark computer program (BIA-AK) and population-specific equation (BIA-Lohman), NIR (Futrex(R) 6100/XL), a quadratic (SF3JPW) and linear (SF3WB) skinfold equation, air-displacement plethysmography (BP), and hydrostatic weighing (HW).
  
  
  RESULTS
  All methods produced acceptable total error (TE) values compared to the 3C model. Both laboratory methods produced similar TE values (HW, TE = 2.4%fat; BP, TE = 2.3%fat) when compared to the 3C model, though a significant constant error (CE) was detected for HW (1.5%fat, p </= 0.006). The field methods produced acceptable TE values ranging from 1.8 - 3.8 %fat. BIA-AK (TE = 1.8%fat) yielded the lowest TE among the field methods, while BIA-Lohman (TE = 2.1%fat) and NIR (TE = 2.7%fat) produced lower TE values than both skinfold equations (TE > 2.7%fat) compared to the 3C model. Additionally, the SF3JPW %fat estimation equation resulted in a significant CE (2.6%fat, p </= 0.007).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Data suggest that the BP and HW are valid laboratory methods when compared to the 3C model to estimate %fat in college-age Caucasian women. When the use of a laboratory method is not feasible, NIR, BIA-AK, BIA-Lohman, SF3JPW, and SF3WB are acceptable field methods to estimate %fat in this population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Exercise Science, University of Oklahoma, Norman, USA. jrstout@ou.edu.
authors.forename: Jordan R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Holly R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Hull
authors.forename: Sarah E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Tobkin
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Teramoto
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karabulut
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Eric D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: So Jung
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Vincent J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Dalbo
authors.forename: Ashley A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.forename: Abbie T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Joel T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Cramer
authors.forename: Jeffrey R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Stout