Comparison of Standing Posture Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis with DXA for Body Composition in a Large, Healthy Chinese Population

PLoS One. 2016 Jul 28;11(7):e0160105. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0160105. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is a common method for assessing body composition in research and clinical trials. BIA is convenient but when compared with other reference methods, the results have been inconclusive. The level of obesity degree in subjects is considered to be an important factor affecting the accuracy of the measurements. A total of 711 participants were recruited in Taiwan and were sub-grouped by gender and levels of adiposity. Regression analysis and Bland-Altman analysis were used to evaluate the agreement of the measured body fat percentage (BF%) between BIA and DXA. The BF% measured by the DXA and BIA methods (Tanita BC-418) were expressed as BF%DXA and BF%BIA8, respectively. A one-way ANOVA was used to test the differences in BF% measurements by gender and levels of adiposity. The estimated BF%BIA8 and BF%DXA in the all subjects, male and female groups were all highly correlated (r = 0.934, 0.901, 0.916, all P< 0.001). The average estimated BF%BIA8 (22.54 ± 9.48%) was significantly lower than the average BF%DXA (26.26 ± 11.18%). The BF%BIA8 was overestimated in the male subgroup (BF%DXA< 15%), compared to BF%DXA by 0.45%, respectively. In the other subgroups, the BF%BIA8 values were all underestimated. Standing BIA estimating body fat percentage in Chinese participants have a high correlation, but underestimated on normal and high obesity degree in both male and female subjects.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Absorptiometry, Photon*
  • Body Composition*
  • Electric Impedance*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Taiwan

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants from the ministry of Health and Welfare of the Republic of China (PG-10417) and the National Science Council of the republic of China (NSC 100-2410 H-H-028-MY3). Additionally, Co-author Kuen-Chang Hsieh received salary from the commercial company Charder Electronic Co., Ltd during this study. Charder Electronic Co., Ltd did not have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The specific roles of co-author KCH are articulated in the 'author contributions' section.