Bioelectrical Impedance Measurement of Subcutaneous Fat Thickness Using Apparent Resistivity

Abstract

Measurements of subcutaneous fat thickness provide valuable information regarding human health. In previous studies, subcutaneous fat thickness was estimated by bioelectrical impedance; however, this method required sophisticated equipment and analysis. The objective of this study was to develop a simple method to determine subcutaneous fat thickness using apparent resistivity. A single-frequency 50-kHz bipolar pulse was applied to a tetrapolar electrode, while steady-state pulses were used to determine the apparent resistivity. Subcutaneous fat thickness was determined using ultrasound tomography. We obtained a linear correlation of R = 0.916 between subcutaneous fat thickness and apparent resistivity from measurements at 20 sites on a human anterior thigh. The obtained regression equation suggests that subcutaneous fat thickness can be estimated using the apparent resistivity.