All issues > Volume 46(8); 2003

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 2003;46(8):751-757. Published online August 15, 2003.

Correlation between Body Fat Percent Estimated by Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis and Other Variable Methods

Hye Won HW Yom¹, Su Jung SJ Kim¹, Il Tae IT Whang¹, Young Mi YM Hong¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea

Abstract

Purpose
: Obesity is a significant health problem with medical and psychological consequences for children and adolescents. The purpose of this study was to assess the correlation between body fat percent using bioelectrical impedance(BI) and other variable methods.
Methods
: We measured height, weight, body mass index(BMI) and body fat percent by skinfold thickness(ST) and BI in 1,035(496 male; 539 female) children from seven to 18 years of age. The correlation coefficients between BI and each of the other different methods were obtained. The sensitivity and specificity to predict obesity by these several methods were studied.
Results
: Fat percent estimated by BI analysis and BMI showed a strong correlation(r=0.749). Fat percent estimated by BI analysis and ST showed a very strong correlation(r=0.835). At the 95th percentile cut-off point for BI, ST showed a sensitivity of 57.7%, and a specificity of 97.6% for estimating body fat. At the 95th percentile cut-off point for BI, BMI showed a sensitivity of 84.9%, and a specificity of 99.3% for estimating body fat.
Conclusion
: The fat percent estimated by BI analysis correlated strongly with ST or BMI. BI analysis is an objective and accurate method for estimating body fat in childhood obesity.

Keywords :Bioelectrical impedance, Body mass index, Skinfold thickness, Body fat percent