Comparison Of A Novel Body Mass Index Equation To Body Composition Methods In Collegiate Athletes

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Accurate assessment of body composition in collegiate athletes is an effective tool to enhance training and nutrition protocols. The use of Body Mass Index (BMI) based equations for such purposes has been found to be relatively inaccurate in competitive athletes due to the inability to decipher between fat and fat-free mass. Recently, a BMI based equation developed by Nickerson et. al. (BMINICKERSON) that incorporates handgrip strength as a surrogate for lean mass was found to estimate body fat with low error in general population adults. The use of such a method in collegiate athletes may therefore be advantageous as a cost-effective and easily administered option for body composition assessment. PURPOSE: To compare the accuracy and effectiveness of BMINICKERSON with traditional body composition methods in estimating body fat percentage of Division II collegiate athletes. METHODS: Fifteen (n = 15) intercollegiate athletes (n = 9 male, 6 female) were assessed for percentage body fat using BMINICKERSON, bio-electrical impedance analysis (BIA) and seven site skinfold (SF). A One-Way repeated measures ANOVA was utilized to determine potential differences in body fat as estimated by each method. RESULTS: A significant difference in body fat percentage as assessed by the included methods was found for the sample (F = 16.78, p < 0.001). Further paired samples t-testing revealed a significantly greater body fat estimation by BMINICKERSON (20.84 % ± 6.73 %) in comparison to both BIA (t = 9.06, p < 0.001, 16.31 % ± 6.72 %) and skinfold (t = 4.57, p < 0.001, 16.34 % ± 8.34 %). Measurement of body fat percentage by BIA and skinfold did not significantly differ (t = 0.02, p = 0.98). CONCLUSION: Although use of BMINICKERSON in estimating body composition has been shown to provide relatively accurate results in the general population, the current study did not observe the same in collegiate athletes. The use of other cost-effective and easily administered methods, such as BIA and SF, may provide for more accurate estimation of body fat in the current population. Further research comparing BMINICKERSON to a gold standard measurement technique in collegiate athletes is warranted.