AJP - Endocrinology and Metabolism, Vol 256, Issue 6 E829-E834, Copyright © 1989 by American Physiological Society

ARTICLES

Body fat from body density: underwater weighing vs. dual-photon absorptiometry

J. Wang, S. B. Heymsfield, M. Aulet, J. C. Thornton and R. N. Pierson Jr
Department of Medicine, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, Columbia University, New York, New York 10025.

We measured fat in 286 healthy volunteers by underwater weighing (FUWW) and dual-photon absorptiometry (FDPA) to develop a translation table for the differing results from these entirely different techniques and to study the sources of these differences. In 99 males and 187 females aged 19-94 yr, fatness was 7-47%. Prediction equations are presented for FUWW-FDPA (delta F), density of lean body mass (DLBM), and FDPA. FUWW and FDPA were significantly different from each other (P less than 0.01). Calculated DLBM is less than the assumed constant of 1.10 (P less than 0.01), ranging widely from 1.05 to 1.13 and being highly correlated with the ratio of total body bone mineral to lean body mass (TBBM/LBM). delta F, the differences between FUWW and FDPA measurements in individual subjects, varied widely (-7 to +11% in males and -18 to +13% in females). The difference was positively correlated with the DLBM. FUWW was no better than anthropometrics in equations for predicting FDPA. The FDPA predicted from anthropometrics showed smaller standard errors than when FUWW was used. Neither anthropometrics nor FUWW equations are clearly superior to those previously available.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				W. W Wong, A. C Hergenroeder, J. E Stuff, N. F Butte, E O'B. Smith, and K. J Ellis Evaluating body fat in girls and female adolescents: advantages and disadvantages of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, August 1, 2002; 76(2): 384 - 389. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. A Fields, M. I Goran, and M. A McCrory Body-composition assessment via air-displacement plethysmography in adults and children: a review Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, March 1, 2002; 75(3): 453 - 467. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. M. Prior, C. M. Modlesky, E. M. Evans, M. A. Sloniger, M. J. Saunders, R. D. Lewis, and K. J. Cureton Muscularity and the density of the fat-free mass in athletes J Appl Physiol, April 1, 2001; 90(4): 1523 - 1531. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Roubenoff and V. A. Hughes Sarcopenia: Current Concepts J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci., December 1, 2000; 55(12): 716M - 724. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				L. B Houtkooper, S. B Going, J. Sproul, R. M Blew, and T. G Lohman Comparison of methods for assessing body-composition changes over 1 y in postmenopausal women Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, August 1, 2000; 72(2): 401 - 406. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Gallagher, E. Ruts, M. Visser, S. Heshka, R. N. Baumgartner, J. Wang, R. N. Pierson, F. X. Pi-Sunyer, and S. B. Heymsfield Weight stability masks sarcopenia in elderly men and women Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, August 1, 2000; 279(2): E366 - E375. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. R Wagner and V. H Heyward Measures of body composition in blacks and whites: a comparative review Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, June 1, 2000; 71(6): 1392 - 1402. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. M. Spungen, J. Wang, R. N. Pierson Jr., and W. A. Bauman Soft tissue body composition differences in monozygotic twins discordant for spinal cord injury J Appl Physiol, April 1, 2000; 88(4): 1310 - 1315. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. C. Fornetti, J. M. Pivarnik, J. M. Foley, and J. J. Fiechtner Reliability and validity of body composition measures in female athletes J Appl Physiol, September 1, 1999; 87(3): 1114 - 1122. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]