Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Jan 10;23(1):40.
doi: 10.1186/s12967-024-06062-1.

Validity between dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and bioelectrical impedance for segmental fat analysis and a novel low-cost model developed using anthropometry in young adults

Malek Mecherques-Carini  1 , Mario Albaladejo-Saura  2   3 , Francisco Esparza-Ros  4 , Nicolás Baglietto  1 , Raquel Vaquero-Cristóbal  5
Affiliations

Validity between dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and bioelectrical impedance for segmental fat analysis and a novel low-cost model developed using anthropometry in young adults

Malek Mecherques-Carini et al. J Transl Med. .

Abstract

Background: Accurate body fat distribution assessment is essential for managing cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders. Although several methods are available for segmental fat analysis, few studies have examined the validity of affordable methods such as Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) against the reference method, Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA). This study aimed to assess the validity of BIA as compared to DXA for segmental fat mass assessment, and to develop anthropometric multivariate regression models that offer a cost-effective alternative for health professionals in clinical and public health settings.

Methods: Cross-sectional study that included 264 young adults (161 males, mean age = 23.04 ± 5.61 years; and 103 females, mean age = 22.29 ± 5.98 years). Segmental fat mass was measured using DXA and BIA, and anthropometric measurements were collected following the ISAK protocol.

Results: Significant differences were found between DXA and BIA for segmental fat mass (p < 0.001). Sex significantly influenced the results (p < 0.05), while BMI and hydration status had no significant impacts. The Bland-Altman analysis revealed significant differences (p < 0.001) between BIA and DXA for fat mass in the upper and lower limbs. Trunk fat mass also differed significantly in males and females (p < 0.001), except for the overall sample (p = 0.088). Anthropometric multivariate regression models showed a high predictive accuracy for both females (R²=0.766-0.910; p < 0.001) and males (R²=0.758-0.887; p < 0.001). Key predictors of segmental fat mass included body mass (r = 0.606-0.867; p < 0.001), skinfold thickness (r = 0.688-0.893; p < 0.001), and waist girth (r = 0.883 - 0.810; p < 0.001). Peripheral skinfolds were highly predictive for upper and lower limbs, while waist girth was relevant for trunk fat mass.

Conclusions: DXA and BIA are not interchangeable for segmental fat analysis due to the significant differences observed. However, the anthropometric multivariate regression models developed provide a cost-effective and reliable alternative for predicting segmental fat mass in clinical settings where DXA is unavailable.

Trial registration: Not applicable.

Keywords: Anthropometry; Bioelectrical impedance analysis; Body composition; Body segment; Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry; Fat mass; Health.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The studies involving humans were approved by the Ethics Committee from the Catholic University San Antonio of Murcia (Murcia, Spain), which reviewed and authorized the protocol designed for data collection, considering the World Medical Association Code (CE062103). The studies were conducted in accordance with the local legislation and institutional requirements. Consent for publication: The participants provided their written informed consent to participate in this study. Competing interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Participants’ flow chart
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Xue Y, Yang X, Liu G. Association of combined body mass index and central obesity with cardiovascular disease in middle-aged and older adults: a population-based prospective cohort study. BMC Cardiovasc Disord. 2024;24:443. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Carter JL, Abdullah N, Bragg F, Murad NAA, Taylor H, Fong CS, et al. Body composition and risk factors for cardiovascular disease in global multi-ethnic populations. Int J Obes. 2023;47:855–64. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Duren DL, Sherwood RJ, Czerwinski SA, Lee M, Choh AC, Siervogel RM, et al. Body composition methods: comparisons and interpretation. J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2008;2:1139–46. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Nicolás Messina D. Estimation of Arm Fat percentage: from Segmental Bioimpedance to Anthropometry. Int J Kinanthropometry. 2024;4:24–31.
    1. Sansone P, Makivic B, Csapo R, Hume P, Martínez-Rodríguez A, Bauer P. Body Fat of Basketball players: a systematic review and Meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2022;8:26. - PMC - PubMed

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources