Validation of a 3-dimensional laser body scanner for assessment of waist and hip circumference.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the reliability and validity of a 3-dimensional laser body scanner for estimation of waist and hip circumferences and waist:hip ratio.


METHODS
Seventy women were evaluated for waist and hip circumference and waist:hip ratio via laser scanner and tape measure. In a subset of 34 participants, 8 repeated measures of laser scanning were performed for reproducibility analysis. Validity of the instrument was assessed by regression and Bland-Altman comparison of measures of waist and hip circumferences and waist:hip ratio to tape measure.


RESULTS
Reproducibility analysis showed little difference between within-subjects measurements of circumferences (intraclass correlation coefficient ≥0.992, p < 0.01). Evaluation of waist and hip circumferences measured by body scanning did not differ significantly from tape measure (p > 0.05). Bland-Altman analysis showed no bias between laser scanning and tape measure.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings indicate that the 3-dimensional laser body scanner is a reliable and valid technique for the estimation of waist and hip circumferences as compared with tape measure. This instrument is promising as a quick and simple method of body circumference analysis.
Pepper
M Reese
MR
Department of Nutritional Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station, A2703, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
Freeland-Graves
Jeanne H
JH
Yu
Wurong
W
Stanforth
Philip R
PR
Cahill
Jodi M
JM
Mahometa
Michael
M
Xu
Bugao
B
D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006615:Hip / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D007834:Lasers; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D055105:Waist Circumference; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio