HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Ketel, I. J G Articles by Lambalk, C. B Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Ketel, I. J G Articles by Lambalk, C. B

Superiority of skinfold measurements and waist over waist-to-hip ratio for determination of body fat distribution in a population-based cohort of Caucasian Dutch adults

Division of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, de Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV, room 0Z120, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, ¹ Department of Nutrition and Health, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, de Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands, ² Department of Internal Medicine, Academic Hospital Maastricht, P. Debyelaan 25, 6229 HX Maastricht, The Netherlands and ³ Department of Public and Occupational Health and Institute for Research in Extramural Medicine of VU University medical centre, de Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands

(Correspondence should be addressed to C B Lambalk; Email: cb.lambalk{at}vumc.nl)

Objective: To determine which anthropometric measurement is the most reliable alternative for fat distribution as measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA).

Design: Population-based survey carried out in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Subjects and methods: A total of 376 individuals (200 women) with a mean age of 36.5 years and mean body mass index (BMI) of 24.0 (±3.1) kg/m² underwent various anthropometric and DXA measurements of central (CFM) and peripheral fat mass (PFM). Furthermore, for the assessment of apple-shaped body composition, CFM-to-PFM ratio was calculated. Anthropometric measurements were waist and hip circumference, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), BMI, waist/length and the skinfold thickness of biceps, triceps, suprailiacal (SI), subscapular (SS) and upper leg. We determined whether equations of combined anthropometrics were even more reliable for the assessment of fat mass.

Results: In both women and men, reliable alternatives for CFM are central skinfolds and waist (Pearson’s correlation (r) 0.8). Peripheral skinfolds are the best predictors of PFM (r 0.8). In contrast, WHR correlated only marginally with any of the DXA measurements. Equations based on several anthropometric variables correlate with CFM even better (R² 0.8). CFM-to-PFM ratio has the highest correlation with the ratio (SS+SI)/BMI in women (r = 0.66) and waist/length in men (r = 0.71). Equations are reasonable alternatives of CFM-to-PFM ratio (R² 0.5).

Conclusion: Waist and skinfolds are reliable alternatives for the measurement of body fat mass in a cohort of Caucasian adults. WHR is not appropriate for the measurement of fat distribution.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. Ziomkiewicz, P.T. Ellison, S.F. Lipson, I. Thune, and G. Jasienska Body fat, energy balance and estradiol levels: a study based on hormonal profiles from complete menstrual cycles Hum. Reprod., July 18, 2008; (2008) den213v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]