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Abstract

Body mass index (BMI) has been used for years by clinicians to approximate total body fat. However, the body adiposity index (BAI), body adiposity index from the FELS longitudinal study (BAIFELS), and an equation developed by Deurenberg et al. (BFD) were created recently to offset BMI’s limitations and accurately estimate percent body fat (%BF). The prevalence of overweight and obese Caucasian men is increasing in the United States; currently, there is no established way to quickly and accurately predict their %BF. Purpose: To compare the existing %BF equations (BAI, BAIFELS, and BFD) to measured %BF via air displacement plethysmography (ADP) in order to determine the most accurate way to predict %BF in overweight and obese Caucasian men. Methods: Four hundred and fifty-two Caucasian men aged from 18 to 76, with a BMI of 25.0 to 42.4 kg/m2, participated in this study. Height, weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, and body composition using ADP were measured on each participant. These measurements were inserted into the three equations to determine any differences between the equations and the actual %BF measured by ADP. Results: Differences in %BF between ADP and the BAI (p < 0.001) and ADP and the BAIFELS (p < 0.001) were discovered. While no differences (p = 1.00) between ADP and BFD existed. Conclusion: In a population of overweight and obese Caucasian adults from the United States, the BAI and BAIFELS are not appropriate to predict %BF while the BFD prediction equation proved worthy of consideration.

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