Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis as Compared with the Gold Standard in Terms of Validity and Reproducibility

UNCP Author/Contributor (non-UNCP co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Candace Langston (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Pembroke (UNCP )
Web Site: http://www.uncp.edu/academics/library
Advisor
Jeff Bolles

Abstract: Body composition, a term familiar to most Americans, is an important predictor of overall health. There are currently six common ways to assess an individual’s body composition, and two of them can be done at home. Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) is one of the most common in-home assessments and can be completed in just a few minutes with the use of a bathroom scale. Another popular assessment, the BodPod, is known as the “gold standard” and is found only in laboratory settings. Reliability is a concern for many when using an at-home assessment when compared to an expensive piece of laboratory equipment. Thirty-seven UNCP students’ body composition was measured using both BIA and the BodPod. The results were then analyzed using a paired sample T-test (p=0.05) for males, females and the cohort. Cohort results were then compared using a Pearson Product Moment Correlation. The T-test was not statistically significant for male subjects (0.07896), but was statistically significant for the females (0.03318). The Pearson correlation showed a .8486 strong, positive correlation between BIA. With outliers (those with greater than 9% difference between scales) removed, the correlation improved to .9111. For a general population, BIA is an acceptable method of obtaining body composition measurements.

Additional Information

Publication
Honors Project
Esther G. Maynor Honors College
Language: English
Date: 2013
Keywords
BIA, Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis, BodPod, Body Composition, Body Fat Analysis, Air Displacement

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