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THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DIFFERENT MEASURES OF BODY FAT IN DEHYDRATED AND EUHYDRATED MALE RECREATIONAL ATHLETES

Abstract

Brendan N. Welch, Jason D. Wagganer, Jeremy T. Barnes & Monica L. Kearney; Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, MO

While dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is regarded as the criterion for assessing body fat percentage (BF%), bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is an easily administered field test. However, hydration status is a key factor in determining both validity and reliability of BIA, and results may vary between euhydrated and dehydrated participants. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between BF% assessed using BIA and DXA in euhydrated and dehydrated male college-aged recreational athletes. METHODS: As part of a larger study, 106male recreational athletes provided a mid-stream urine sample and underwent testing for BF% using DXA and a full-body BIA device. Urine was analyzed for urine specific gravity (USG) using a digital refractometer to determine hydration status. Dehydration was defined as USG ≥1.0200 using guidelines from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (2000). Of 106participants providing a urine sample, nine were classified as significantly dehydrated; in order to compare the most hydrated with the least hydrated participants, a cut point of ≤1.0015 was chosen for euhydration to yield a similar sample size for comparison (n=11). Thus, 20 total participants were included in this analysis (age= 21 ± 2 years; wt=192.6± 28.4lbs; ht=178.6± 6.0cm; BMI=27.4± 3.6kg/m2). Because samples were not normally distributed, Spearman’ rho was used to determine relationships between variables. RESULTS: There was a positive correlation between DXA and BIA BF% in the euhydrated [rs(11)=0.788, pCONCLUSION: The correlations between the two groups, regardless of hydration state, suggest BIA is able to provide similar measures of BF% compared to the criterion, DXA. However, because different participants were in each group, it is unknown if these values are truly reliable within participants. Thus, more research should be done to assess the reliability of repeating BF% measurements using the BIA device across different hydration states in this population.

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