Nikki Brown

http://www.isakonline.com/

Body composition
Components of body composition (BC):
Major component water Protein and fat components are relatively small Remainder primarily bone and minerals

Behnkes Reference Man/Woman

Male Storage fat 12% Essential fat 3% Female Storage fat 15% Essential fat 12%
Lean Body Mass Contains small % nonspecific essential fat Fat Free Mass Represents body mass minus all extractable fat

2-compartment model
Total body weight is the sum of two categories: Fat mass (all extractable lipids) Fat-free mass (bone, muscles, organs, connective tissues, essential fat) Make a assumption that:

Density of FM is 0.90 g.cm3 Density of FFM approx 1.10 g.cm3

Regression equations developed to

calculate BC from known densities of FM and FFM and whole body density

Body density
Using body density %BF can be estimated using the Siri formula:

Siri %BF = [(495 / Body Density) -450] * 100

Formulae assume density of FFM to remain constant Varies with growth, maturation, age, gender, ethnicity, bone density 2% variation in FFM within a homogenous group

Bone density variability

The SD of bone density is approximately 0.02g.ml-1 = 2% variation Some equations are more sensitive than others

Example: if a man has a bone density = 1.070g ml-1

Siri equation calculates %BF as 12.6% Another equation equally valid calculate %BF as 19.1%

If a persons bone density > 1.100 g ml-1 their %BF will be underestimated Black footballers who combine leanness with high density appear to have negative %BF!

Methods of BC assessment
DIRECT Chemical dissolution: Cadaver dissection INDIRECT Hydrostatic weighing Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry Air displacement plethysmography Bioelectrical impedance analysis Skinfolds and girth measurements Near infrared interactance Ultrasound Computed tomography Magnetic resonance imaging

Levels of Validation

Hydrodensitometry
Density = mass/volume
Mass: easy to measureget on a scale. Volume: get in the water!
(volume of water displaced = volume of your body)

Archimedes principal:
Buoyancy Force (Fb) = Weight of Fluid Displaced
Density of bone and muscles > than water Fat < dense than water So a person with more bone + muscle will weigh more in water

than a person with less bone + muscle

Higher BD + lower &BF

Considerations (UWW)
Water in tank must be completely still Air in body: lungs and gastrointestinal tract

Goldstandard

How to control: Air in lungs: estimate or measure residual lung volume (direct measurement preferable) Air in GI tract: not measureable, could be anywhere between 0.1 and 1.5 litres, minimise by fasting
Densities of FFM vary due to race, age, and athletic

experience.

Air-displacement plethysmography
Density = mass/volume
Air displaced = Body Volume High validity compared to hydrostatic weighing Initial volume of empty chamber measured Subject enters chamber and small changes in air pressure measured to determine amount of air person displaces Allows estimation of body volume (corrected for RV)

Considerations (ADP)
Expensive to buy Needs further validation on athletes Problems with excess body hair

However......... Minimal compliance by subject Does not require high technician skill More convenient than UWW (3-5 mins) Any age can be tested from children to the elderly Reliability has been shown to be good

Pea Pod
Allows safe, non-invasive evaluation of babies body composition Excellent test-to-test repeatability Fast test time (about 7 minutes total test time) Accommodates most infant behaviours (crying, movement)

Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry

Measures differences in absorption of 2 different low x-ray

energies to estimate the bone mineral content and the soft tissue composition. Error is approx < 2% compared to densitometry However, expensive (>30000),exposure to radiation
Has the ability to determine body composition in defined regions: arms legs trunk.

Bioelectrical Impedance
Measures how the body conducts electricity Measures impedance (resistance to flow) FFM - good conductor (low imp) FM poor conductor (high imp) Hydration important!! Greater amount of water and fluids the easier it is for current to get from hand to foot (lower resistance) and vice versa

Considerations (BIA)
Cheap and easy to use Ideally subject should not have: Exercised for 12 hours Eaten within previous 5 hours Drunk coffee in previous 4 hours Drunk alcohol in previous 24 hours. Not have consumed large amounts of water prior to testing Some medications (e.g.diuretics) will also effect the test results Accuracy depends on regression equation used

population specific
Lack of sensitivity to small changes in composition Less research on scales/hand-held devices

Skinfold thickness
Common field method inexpensive, fast, portable Measures double thickness of skin and subcutaneous fat Total subcutaneous adipose tissue mass is represented by selected skinfold sites Subcutaneous tissue has a known relationship with total body fat

Skinfold Assumptions
Distribution of subcutaneous and visceral fat similar for all individuals Questionable Sites selected represent average thickness of all subcutaneous fat Approx 30-50% of total body fat located subcutaneously Biological variation/age/gender/degree of fatness Compressibility of fat similar between subjects Thickness of skin negligible Exercise /Dehydration/ Edema

Estimating %BF from skinfolds

Usually done by summing skinfolds and applying them into equation BUT.. Results vary depending on which skinfolds and equations are used >100 equations available
Equation Thorland et al 1984 Sloan 1967 Withers et al 1987 Forsyth & Sinning 1973 Katch & McArdle 1973 Wilhmore & Behnke 1967 Durnin & Womersley 1974 Results 5.4% 6.3% 7.0% 7.2% 7.4% 10.2% 10.7%

as a way to account for gender age, ethnicity, etc Best equations utilise SFs from arm, trunk and leg to detect deviations in fat pattern

Selecting an equation
Sum of 7 skinfolds (Jackson & Pollock, 1978) Acurately estimates average %BF of physically active men and range of sports performers Prediction error ranges from 2.2 to 2.9% Highest correlation with hydrodensitometry Sum of 4 skinfolds (Durnin & Womersley, 1974) Can also be used with minimal loss of accuracy Increased feasibility
Important to chose equation that is valid for the population you are measuring

Jackson & Pollock Equations

Durnin & Womersley Equations (1974)

log = sum of triceps, subscapular, iliac crest and biceps skinfolds

Move to Sum of Skinfolds

Anthropometry practice has moved towards using skinfold measurement as a sum of skinfolds (SS)
Forms a simple indicator of fatness Avoids untebable assumption validations Normative values are available Sum can be converted as a percentile to show relative standing within a population

Which techniques to use?

Variety of techniques to appraise body composition each with own assumptions Choice of technique depends on a number of factors

Need to consider: Cost (financial and time) Technician skill Subject comfort Error/accuracy

Overview of techniques

Overview of techniques

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