Thermal Imaging of Abdomen in Evaluation of Obesity: A Comparison with Body Composition Analyzer––A Preliminary Study

Abstract

Changes in body composition parameters lead to obesity progression which has an impact on body metabolism. The aim and objectives of the study was: (i) to estimate body composition parameters such as fat-free mass, skeletal muscle mass, lean body mass, subcutaneous fat mass using body composition analyzer; (ii) and to measure mean surface temperature of various regions of the body such as abdomen, chest, forearm front and back, shank front and back using thermal imaging method. Adult volunteers of age 20–29 years were participated in this preliminary study. The body composition parameter such as fat mass, fat free mass, muscle mass, and skeletal muscle mass was measured using body composition analyzer. The thermal imaging of the forearm, abdomen, and shank region was obtained and the skin surface temperature was measured in both normal and obese. The FFM negatively correlated with mean surface temperature at the abdomen region and found to be highly significant with p < 0.05. In this study, BCA parameters correlated significantly with the skin surface temperature measured at forearm and abdomen region in obese subjects.