A new method for measuring the body density of obese adults

Abstract

I. A new apparatus is described with which it is possible to measure the volume (and hence density) of obese patients without requiring them to immerse totally in water. Replicate measurements of subjects with 6, 23 and 38 kg body fat had a standard deviation not greater than 0.3 kg fat.2. In nineteen obese women body fat was measured by density, total body water, and total body potassium at the beginning, and again at the end, of a period of 3-4 weeks on a reducing diet, during which they lost 5.43 (SD I. 83) kg in weight. The composition of weight loss was also estimated both by energy balance and nitrogen balance during the interval between the two measurements of body composition.3. The estimates of fat content of the nineteen women at the start of the balance period were 45.63(SD 1450) kg by density, 48.07 (SD 13.88) kg by K and 47.09 (SD 13.85) kg by water. The correlation coefficient between the density and K estimate was 0-949, and for the density and water estimate it was 4. It is concluded that measurement of density by the new method provides a convenient method for estimating body fatness, and change in fat content, which compares favourably with estimates based on total body water or total body K. However, these methods cannot be used to provide an accurate estimate of the composition of a small weight loss in an individual since deviations up to 4 kg fat occur between fat loss based on change in density and those based on the more reliable (but more tedious) energy balance method. 0,971.

Validity of the leg-to-leg bioimpedance to estimate changes in body fat during weight loss and regain in overweight women: a comparison with multi-compartment models

“…This confirms our previous observations in a small group of women over three successive loss/regain cycles 17 and it is close to theoretically appropriate values. 29 However, it is notable that the calculation of the energy imbalance, based on the loss of fat and lean tissue, implies that energy intake was higher than prescribed. We conclude that the clinical experience of subjects prescribed VLCDs does not imply any inappropriate loss of lean tissue, Table 4 Intraclass correlation between compartment models (3-C, 4-C) and other methods of body composition during weight gain and weight loss Validity of the LTL to estimate changes in body fat SA Jebb et al but investigation in subjects with full compliance to the prescription is required in order to demonstrate the true effect of a VLCD per se on body composition.…”

Quantitative comparison and evaluation of software packages for assessment of abdominal adipose tissue distribution by magnetic resonance imaging

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] Many direct and indirect methods have been used to quantify body fat, such as anthropometric measurements 8 (for example, waist circumference), underwater weighing, 8,9 bioelectric impedance, 10 dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, 11,12 computed tomography (CT) [13][14][15][16] and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, at present, most published research endorses either CT or MRI as the best in vivo methods for accurate and reliable data about the amount and distribution of abdominal adipose tissue.…”

Body composition in children and adults by air displacement plethysmography

“…An alternative to the H d method, and one that has potential clinical value, is B d evaluation by air displacement plethysmography (Garrow et al, 1979;Dempster & Aitkens, 1995;McCrory et al, 1995). Based on classic gas laws, this method is simple to perform and does not require water submersion.…”

“…Based on classic gas laws, this method is simple to perform and does not require water submersion. However, there have been relatively few published validation studies of this potentially important method (Garrow et al, 1979;Dempster & Aitkens, 1995;McCroy et al, 1995) particularly, in children. The aim of this present study was to carry out a prospective study of air displacement plethysmography as a method of quantifying body composition in children and adults.…”