Estimating Phase Angle Percentiles in Elite Athletes

Abstract

Bio‐impedance analysis (BIA) is a common technique used to estimate body composition. BIA measures the electrical impedance in water contained in a subject’s body and uses this measurement to predict body composition. Phase angle is one of the components of body composition and is a major indicator of body fat percentage. Although BIA is less accurate when predicting body composition compared to dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) or bod pods, it is cheaper, more portable, and does not require a licensed operator. For those reasons, athletes commonly use BIA to estimate body fat composition. Current BIA techniques are shown to be inaccurate for very athletic individuals [1] since it is calibrated based on the general population. Previous studies have calculated phase angle distribution in elite athletes using DXA data, but none have examined BIA. Our research uses empirical Bayesian analysis with BIA data to create reference percentiles for phase angle by sport and gender among elite European athletes. Body Fat Series: Bioimpedance (BIA)SamWinterNaked