Title of article:

Composition of weight change assessed using leg-to-leg bioimpedance (BIA) system

Authors: Punyanitya M, Nuñez C,Rubiano F, Heymsfield SB.
Poster presented at: FASEB Conference, 1999.

Abstract

Objective: Body composition changes that occur as a result of weight loss provide important information on the efficacy of diet and/or exercise interventions. Commonly used field methods for monitoring body composition changes include skinfolds (SF) and BIA. Skinfold measurements require technician training and monitoring. Since the leg-to-leg BIA system requires minimal training it may be practical use in field settings. The purpose of this study was to compare in dieting obese subjects the composition of weight loss estimated by SF, BIA and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA).
Design: There were 65 obese subjects ( BMI X±SD, 31.5±3.1 kg/m2) who completed 16 weeks of weight loss treatment.
Results: Weight loss for the group was 5.0+-3.4 kg. The weight loss as fat (kg) was SF (-3.7±2.4), BIA (-4.0±3.9) and DXA (-4.2±3.0) and these were not significantly different. There were significant correlations between change in fat mass for DXA and SF ( r=0.73, p<0.001, SEE=2.06kg) and DXA and BIA (r=0.86, p<0.001, SEE=1.51 kg). These results support the field use of BIA for estimating changes in fat mass as it is simple to use, requires minimal training and provides body composition estimates comparable to DXA.

Comments and Key points

Another simple and useful poster, presented at a scientific meeting, and reproduced on the Tanita Corporation website1. It demonstrates that Bio-Electrical Impedence measurements, made with inexpensive consumer-model body fat monitor scales, were able to measure a persons body fat percentage, during dieting.

Also of interest, is that after 16 weeks of "treatment" (diet and exercise presumably), they lost around 4% body fat.

Although their abstract doesn't specifically mention it, they used a Tanita body fat monitor scale as their measuring instrument.

 

References

  1. http://www.tanita.com/professional/abstracts/abstract_main.html

Review & comments by Steven B. Halls, MD, Last edited 26-May-2008 Copyright.

Slip on back to the body fat weight scale bibliography.

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