Comparison of Various Body Condition Measurements to Air Displacement Plethysmography in Female Collegiate Athletes

Abstract

Body composition is an important consideration for athletes and coaches. Air displacement plethysmography (ADP) is often preferred in this population due to relative ease of administration and accuracy of measurement. However, other methods may provide a quicker or more cost-effective way of determining body fat percentage (BF%) in athletes. PURPOSE: To compare BF% from various body fat estimators to the criterion of ADP in female Division-I collegiate athletes. METHODS: Forty-eight female athletes (age: 18.0 ± 0.7 years, height: 146.3 ± 56.9 cm, weight: 55.9 ± 23.8 kg) underwent a body composition test battery consisting of: 1) hand-to-foot bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy (HF-BIS); 2) hand-to-foot bioelectrical impedance analysis (HF-BIA); 3) foot-to-foot BIA (FF-BIA); and 4) 3-site Jackson-Pollack skinfold (SF). All SF testing was performed by the same test administrator, and BF% was estimated using the Brozek body density formula. Mean comparisons were assessed using a one-way ANOVA against the criterion of ADP and all correlations were run using Pearson’s product moment correlations. RESULTS: Significant, positive relationships were found between all variables when compared to ADP (HF-BIS: r = 0.68, p <0.01; HF-BIA: r = 0.79, p <0.01; FF-BIA: r = 0.76, p <0.01; and SF r = 0.84, p < 0.01). When compared to the criterion of ADP (22.2 ± 7.1%), only the HF-BIA (26.1 ± 5.4%) was found to significantly overestimate BF% (p = 0.03). No significance was noted with HF-BIS (25.5 ± 5.6%, p = 0.38), FF-BIA (22.1 ± 5.7%, p = 0.16), or SF (24.6 ± 6.1%, p = 0.21). CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that a moderate-to-strong relationship exists between BF% estimated via ADP and other laboratory and field-based methods. Given the strength of its relationship to ADP, it appears 3-site SF analysis may provide a cheap, time-saving estimate of BF% in Division-I female athletes.