[Body composition in lean and obese persons determined by "lift balance densitometer" (author's transl)].

A new method was used to measure body density in 125 persons (divided into five groups: lean male and female; extremely obese male and female; moderately obese female). There was no correlation between body weight and total body fat in lean males, but a good correlation in lean females. Fat-free body mass correlated well with body weight in both lean groups. There was good correlation between body weight and total body fat in obese males and females. Relative weight (weight related to Broca index) correlated well with fat percentage in obese males, females, and lean women, but not in lean males. The results suggest that the Broca index of over-weight (percentage over-weight = height in cm minus 100) is a good measure of obesity in females and in extremely over-weight males, but no conclusion can be drawn about the amount of fat tissue in males who are only moderately over-weight or under-weight. In these persons fat-free body mass correlates better with body weight than "obesity tissue".