Body fat percentage prediction in older adults: Agreement between anthropometric equations and DXA

Abstract

Background: It is difficult to measure body fat percentage in clinical settings. Equations using anthropometric measures are more feasible and can be used to estimate body fat. However, there is a need to analyze their accuracy in older adults. Our study aims to validate the use of anthropometric equations to estimate body fat percentage in older men and women. Methods: This study evaluated data from 127 Brazilian individuals aged between 60 and 91 years. Weight, height, skinfold thickness and waist and hip circumferences were measured. Seventeen anthropometric equations were tested using the crossed validity criteria suggested by Lohman and the graph analysis proposed by Bland and Altman and by Lin was also performed. The gold-standard method for comparing the anthropometric equations was the dual-energy absorptiometry X-ray (DXA). Results: The average body fat percentage was 30.2 ± 8.6% in men and 43.4 ± 7.9% in women (p < 0.001). In men, the equations which used skinfold thickness presented amplitude of 11.48%, while in women, amplitude's constant error (CE) was 22.88%. The equations based on circumferences and BMI presented CE variation from À5.3% to 29.68% on the estimation of body fat percentage, which means that a same male individual can have the total body adiposity diagnosed with 34.98% of variation, depending on the selection of the employed equation. For women this CE variation was 12.44%. Conclusion:Overall, all the equations yielded different results from the DXA. However, the best equations for male were the one of Lean et al. (1996), which uses the waist circumference, and for women the one of Deurenberg et al. (1991), developed from the body mass index. The need of developing specific equations for older adults still remains, since even the two best equations showed considerable limitations on predicating body fat percentage.

Comparison of body fat percentage assessments by bioelectrical impedance analysis, anthropometrical prediction equations, and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in older women

“…Achamrah et al (32) have suggested that BIA and DXA are interchangeable methods for estimating BF at the population level; nevertheless, at individual level differences were significant. Other studies have reported similar results across categories of BMI, but other authors have suggested that BIA underestimates BF% (30,37).…”

“…The sample size was calculated for a type I error at α = 0.05 and power = 90% (type II error β = 0.10) and an expected Pearson Correlation Coefficient r = 0.40, which is considered a moderate correlation, the sample size obtained was 62. The Pearson Correlation Coefficient is frequently used as part of the evaluation of reliability of body composition equations ( 37 ). The authorities of the facilities visited wished to include as many participants as possible.…”

Body Composition Status of a Physically Independent 86-Year-Old Man: A Case Report

“…Although caution of interpretation must be given because they combined males and females, the mean body weight and fat mass were 77.1 ± 9.1 kg and 26.9 ± 4.1kg, respectively, while our participant weighed 80.9 kg and had a total fat mass of 21.6 kg, indicating that our participant not only is heavier but has a lower fat mass. Furthermore, compared to another study where individuals with an average age of 70 years lost a significant amount of fat mass after 8 weeks of frequent aerobic or resistance exercise compared to the control group who was sedentary and gained fat mass (Irving et al, 2015); such study provides results in alignment to our participant who is older and is also benefiting from being active throughout the whole week by having a noticeably lower body fat percentage than adult males over the age of 60 years (Silveira, Barbosa, Noll, Pinheiro, & de Oliveira, 2021).…”

Food insecurity as a risk factor of sarcopenic obesity in older adults

“…Older adults have more body fat percentages (BFP) than their younger counterparts, and there are gender differences in anthropometric measures and BFP. For example, women showed higher values of BMI, subcutaneous fat, and BFP; older men are prone to show more weight and lean mass ( 13 ).…”

“…Sarcopenia and Obesity have to be measured by using validated methods for measuring body composition, like whole-body Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA), bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), Computed Tomography (CT), and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to diagnose obesity, sarcopenia, or both of them ( 5 ) DXA evaluates bone mineral density and is considered a method to assess whole-body and regional soft-tissue composition, which provides good data about the total amount of FM and FFM by body segments ( 13 ). BIA is an adequate and low cost method to measure total water and FFM.…”