Body composition assessment and methodology in nonathletic and athletic adolescent and adult males and females.
The purpose of this review is to outline methodology for assessing body composition utilizing anthropometric and densitometric techniques. The objective of body composition assessment is to measure body fat and lean body mass. The quantity of these components varies due to growth, physical activity, dietary regimens, and aging. Anthropometric techniques incorporate selected skinfolds, circumferences, skeletal widths, or other variables to estimate body composition within k2.0-4.0%. These techniques are adequate for field testing of groups or individuals, but are population specific. Densitometry measures body volume irrespective of physique, sex, or age. This laboratory technique estimates body composition within 1.0-2.0%, is more difficult to administer, but is not population specific. Some limitation exists with any present technique due to biological variability and incomplete research of reference body composition in children, females, and the aged. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 1984;5(6):336-347.
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